Final Word from Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Andrej Babiš isn't the only Czech oligarch who can contradict himself in the span of a few seconds. Daniel Křetínský told the New York Times that if he became the leader of Le Monde, he wouldn't interfere in the newsroom. The audience, spirit, convictions and values of a media company are things never to be taken away, he said. "Your personal political convictions must be completely disregarded." Then he launched into a defense of "trans-Atlantic democracy" and said that he would use Le Monde to push for greater regulation of Facebook, Google, etc. When only two of the CR's 21 MEPs voted for the EU copyright directive, Křetínský's Blesk labeled the other 19 as "traitors to Czech interests." Blesk is now gearing up to do the same to MPs who don't vote to implement the directive into Czech law the way Křetínský wants. In the meantime, Křetínský can boast that Blesk helped keep six of the 19 traitors to his own business interests from returning to the EU Parliament. [ Czech Republic European Union domestic Czech Media Invest tabloid Jaromír Štětina of ESO, Pavel Telička of Hlas, Petr Ježek of Hlas, Jaromír Kohlíček of KSČM, Olga Sehnalová of ČSSD, Pavel Poc of ČSSD transatlantic ]
Glossary of difficult words
to behead - to cut off the head of (someone), esp. as a form of execution;
span - the length of time for which something lasts;
conviction - a firmly held belief or opinion;
to disregard - to pay no attention to; to ignore;
to gear up (to do something) - to equip or prepare oneself;
six "traitors" - MEPs who did not support the EU copyright directive, ran for reelection, and were not elected are: Jaromír Štětina of ESO, Pavel Telička of Hlas, Petr Ježek of Hlas, Jaromír Kohlíček of KSČM, Olga Sehnalová of ČSSD and Pavel Poc of ČSSD.