Final Word from Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Critics of Environment Min. Petr Hladík of KDU-ČSL say he's in the pockets of the drinks manufacturers because he's pushing a proposal to put a deposit on PET bottles and aluminum cans that would secure a continued supply of these containers to the beverage industry. Coca-Cola, Kofola, Heineken, Mattoni, Prazdroj and others in the Deposits Initiative seemed to be getting special treatment from the Fiala government, but then Health Min. Vlastimil Válek of TOP 09 took a liking to the ideas of an excise tax on sweet drinks and restrictions on access to alcohol, which would hurt these same companies. Like the good Lord, Fiala giveth and Fiala taketh away. The health ministry's latest idea, as reported on Sun. by TV Nova, is to ban e-cigarettes as of Sept. 2025 that don't taste like tobacco, which means almost all of them. Business in general likes stability and predictability, but under Petr Fiala the rules are increasingly arbitrary, which means they're likely to change again after Fiala's gone. [ Czech Republic Coke Pepsi beer soft drinks electronic ]