Final Word from Wednesday, February 25, 2015
What's going on between Andrej Babiš and Daniel Křetínský? Some kind of secret arrangement seems increasingly likely, even if they deny it. It's strange, because Křetínský represents everything that Babiš criticized when he entered politics. Křetínský got filthy rich through sweetheart deals with ČEZ, which led us to dub him "Martin Roman's bitch." Křetínský disguises the true ownership of his activities. EPH, his main asset, is owned one-third by the "private equity structures of J&T," which means the beneficial owners could be anyone. A search for Blesk's masters ends in murky companies in the Netherlands and the U.K. Yet Babiš's newspapers have all but abandoned their investigative reporting into Roman's days at ČEZ, and in return Blesk fawns all over Babiš. These details will take on added significance if whispers from the justice ministry are true and Babiš's designated minister, Robert Pelikán, appoints Křetínský's girlfriend, Klára Cetlová, as his first deputy. It will almost be like a wedding that cements the merger of two hostile empires. [Czech Republic Czech News Center Ringier EP Holding]
Glossary of difficult words
sweetheart (agreement) - relating to an arrangement reached privately by two sides in their own interests;
murky - not fully explained or understood, esp. with concealed dishonesty or immorality;
to fawn on someone - to give a servile display of flattery or affection, typically in order to gain favor or advantage;
to cement - to settle or establish firmly.