Final Word from Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Yesterday we lost one of the two libel cases filed against us by lawyer Radek Pokorný and his law firm, Pokorný, Wagner. We aren't allowed to state specifically what the civil suits are about, but they relate to the early stages of the highway-toll tender and the possible influence Pokorný had on it through then-PM Bohuslav Sobotka of ČSSD (who once worked for Pokorný) and Chair Petr Rafaj of the ÚOHS antitrust office (a former ČSSD MP). Pokorný took the stand yesterday in Prague 2 Municipal Court, but Judge Irena Karpíšková already had her ruling written and ready to read. She banned the publication of every single word of our article of Oct. 26, 2017, and ordered us to pay court costs. She didn't allow any questions about Pokorný's lobbying activities, nor did she allow any witnesses from the transport ministry (which was in charge of the toll tender) or Rafaj's competition office (which initially canceled the toll tender, as we predicted). Pokorný won, but Karpíšková's ruling will raise even more questions about the extent of his "nonexistent" lobbying activities until the superior court decides on our appeal. [ Czech Republic Kapsch PPF CzechToll SkyToll ]