Final Word from Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Czechs voluntarily entered the EU but are exhibiting the traits of some of theworld's conquered territories in the way they're undermining the EU's "colonial"authority. (And we're not speaking this time about Václav Klaus). MP LubomírZaorálek of ČSSD ripped into the EU Commission for its ruling on the OKD privatization,saying that the EU's director general for competition, Alexander Italianer,has a conflict of interest because he worked for Pavel Telička, who in turn works forOKD owner Zdeněk Bakala (and also advises the Czech government). Zaorálek'squotes in the press were downright mutinous. And then there is Aleš Musil, who isindirectly being tagged by bne as the EU official who double-crossed the EU competitionoffice and leaked word to ČEZ in 2009 about the imminent dawn raid. Failureto squelch such insubordination was the downfall of more than one colonial power.
Glossary of difficult words
insubordination - defiance of authority; disobedience to orders;
to rip into someone - to make a vehement verbal attack on someone;
downright - utterly, completely;
mutinous - willful or disobedient;
to tag - to attach a label to;
to double-cross - to deceive or betray (a person with whom one is supposedly cooperating);
to leak word to - to leak, provide information to;
dawn raid - a visit by the police or other officials in the early morning, hoping to use the element of surprise;
to squelch - to forcefully silence or suppress.