Final Word from Monday, June 5, 2006
Jiří Paroubek delivered an inflammatory speech on Sat. that changed forever the way he will be perceived. He disputed the election results and compared ODS's attempt to take power and to install a "totalitarian" regime to the Communist takeover in 1948. Paroubek's tirade reminded us of a late-1990s radio debate between Vladimír Železný of TV Nova and Ivo Mathé of Czech TV. It was this debate that showed how truly dangerous Železný is. Paroubek had calmed down somewhat by yesterday, but he remains the biggest obstacle to forming a workable government. He feels cheated of victory in the elections by the scandal that linked him to organized crime. There could be more to his outburst than simply bad sportsmanship. The price for bringing Paroubek to the table might be an assurance that he won't be dragged through the criminal courts the way Železný was. [Czech Republic June 2006 parliamentary elections Television immunity]