Final Word from Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Members of the campaign-oversight office aren't subject to the civil-service act, as we incorrectly wrote yesterday (and for which we apologize). It seems that Jan Outlý of the board can indeed legally criticize Miloš Zeman for taking trips to the regions. Zeman said yesterday that it was sour grapes on Outlý's part and that Outlý was paying him back for not being appointed chairman of the oversight board. This is typical Zeman and is easily understood by his voters. A more light-hearted way to look at it is to point to Outlý's own comment in May about the need for a person to register with the oversight office and to report his or her precise outlays when spending money to attack a candidate. Outlý is based in Brno. Unless he wants to be in the position of having to fine himself, shouldn't he register with his own office and report the amounts he spends on trips to the big city to do his agitation in the national media against Zeman, Andrej Babiš or anyone else? [Czech Republic election electoral]