Final Word from Tuesday, January 31, 2006
In his day, ex-Industry Minister Vladimír Dlouhý was known for being made of teflon, because nothing stuck to him. Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka doesn't quite enjoy Dlouhý's former level of popularity, but they're made of the same material. Sobotka is the third or fourth most-popular politician (depending on whether you count Václav Klaus), despite a string of events that would cripple a person of mere flesh and bone. Most recently, Sobotka took on the EU over reduced VAT rates on housing construction and lost, but at home he was able to sell it as a victory. In the same week, he lost a battle with MP Vlastimil Tlustý of ODS over a curious debt plan involving ČKA, ČSOB and IPB, but he was able to poker-face his way out of it. Most amazingly, as finance minister and acting ČSSD chair, he has slipped a double-digit hike in electricity rates by voters in an election year. How long before the teflon starts to wear thin? [Czech Republic energy Social Democratic Party transition period value-added tax Česká konsolidační agentura president]