Final Word from Friday, August 13, 2010
A year ago, Vladimir Putin embarrassed oligarch Oleg Deripaska on national TV by demanding that he sign a contract for giving jobs back to workers at an alumina factory. Adding insult to injury, Putin demanded after the signing that Deripaska return his pen to him. It made for great political show and gave Putin a boost, but according to journalist Yulia Latynina, the spectacle concealed the fact that the contract was extremely favorable to Deripaska. Czechs don't need to be a skeptics to start wondering whether their own Transport Minister Vít Bárta ever intended to cut the margins on highway and rail construction. The minister's tough words inspired optimistic expectations, but the spectacle is starting to look more and more like another way for Bárta to squeeze something out for himself. He might be a bit taller, paler, hairier-headed and squeakier-voiced, but he actually looks a bit like Putin.[Czech Republic Russia Pikalyovo aluminium aluminum]
Glossary of difficult words
to emulate - to imitate; to match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation;
alumina - a white solid, aluminum oxide, used in the production of aluminum;
to add insult to injury - to act in a way that makes a bad or displeasing situation worse;
to squeeze out - to extract something from something or someone; to extort;
hairier-headed - having more (thick) hair on one's head;
squeakier-voiced - having a squeakier voice.
photos from kremlin.ru and MD ČR.