Final Word from Monday, May 15, 2017
When Finance Min. Andrej Babiš announced on Jan. 18 that the EET online sales-reporting system had led to a 100% increase in restaurant revenue in Dec., Deputy Min. Alena Schillerová went live on Czech TV to back him up. A month later, the Statistical Office released its own figures of 18.3% growth in current prices and 8.2% in constant prices. We concluded from this that Schillerová had violated the civil-service law by openly supporting Babiš's unfounded political proclamations. Politicians can prevaricate and manipulate, but a civil servant isn't supposed to. Yet ČSSD is bothered more by the actions, or lack thereof, of the tax office under Schillerová with regard to Babiš's one-crown bonds. This is a fiscal issue, as well as a political one, and opens a can of worms that could affect ČSSD too. Why, for example, didn't the tax office take action when Interior Min. Milan Chovanec bought a Pilsen apartment from a supplier to his ministry for half the listed price? This could also be investigated as tax evasion. ČSSD would no doubt agree that the new finance minister should get right on it. [Czech Republic tax-free Agrofert car]
Glossary of difficult words
to back someone up - to provide support or help to someone; to come to the assistance of someone;
unfounded - having no foundation or basis in fact;
to prevaricate - to speak or act in an evasive way;
can of worms - a situation that, once started, is likely to become problematic or have a negative outcome.