Final Word from Thursday, July 11, 2019

Missing in the 2018 annual report of the ÚOHS antitrust office is the word "suspect" under the picture of Chairman Petr Rafaj. The police searches at the ÚOHS headquarters and at Kapsch took place in March of this year, not in 2018, but they very much related to events of last year. An institution whose chairman is appointed by the president should probably mention that its two top officials (Vice Chair Eva Kubišová is the other) are suspects in criminal proceedings. Rafaj enjoys a degree of political protection so far, because Pres. Miloš Zeman refuses to remove him. Just as in the case of a minister, though, the president is required by law to respect a request by the PM (cabinet) to sack the ÚOHS chair. Rafaj is a ČSSD man through and through, and if ČSSD decides on Mon. to leave the government because of Zeman's refusal to remove Antonín Staněk, PM Andrej Babiš might want to deliver the resignation letters to Zeman along with one about dismissing Suspect Rafaj. [ Czech Republic highway toll tender competition ]