Final Word from Thursday, March 11, 2010
It's difficult to separate the various anti-corruption campaigns from the election campaigns. Most of the down-with-bribery evangelizing by politicians, businessmen and journalists will disappear as soon as the polling gates close. The American Chamber of Commerce hopes to counter this by joining forces with other like-minded business groups to convince politicians to commit now to taking concrete action after the elections for fixing public procurement. If politicians don't deliver, they'll be exposed. The Final Word (whose publisher is on the board of AmCham) will be among the first to point fingers. With billions of crowns in "commissions" at stake, some politicians are already creating wiggle room. Many companies - including some U.S. ones - will try to sabotage the effort too. But if enough honest businesses join the effort and "send lawyers, guns and money," there's a good chance of success.[Czech Republic Warren Zevon]
Glossary of difficult words
"lawyers, guns and money" - from the Warren Zevon song of the same name; the situation has gotten so bad that serious help is needed ("send lawyers, guns and money, the shit has hit the fan.");
to evangelize - to preach; to seek to convert someone (to Christianity);
like-minded - having similar tastes or opinions;
public procurement - the acquisition of goods and services by governments;
to deliver - to do what one promises;
wiggle room - room to maneuver; flexibility, esp. in one's options or interpretation;
to sabotage - to deliberately destroy, damage or obstruct something.