Czechs were in shock when PM Andrej Babiš and Interior Min. Jan Hamáček announced on the evening of Sat., April 17, that 18 Russian embassy workers were being expelled due to suspected involvement by Russia in the Vrbětice explosions in 2014. When asked by Blesk two weeks later whether it was true that they were forced to make the statement then to avoid being beaten to it by the media, Babiš said it was true the media probably already had some information. A week later Chair Pavel Bělobrádek of Parliament's oversight committee for the BIS counterintelligence agency said it was basically out of the question that anything leaked from BIS. Last night on CNN Prima News, Vice Chair Pavel Žáček of Parliament's security committee said that without actions by BIS Dir. Michal Koudelka to prepare the public, pressure would not have been put on the cabinet, Babiš and Hamáček to expel the Russians. Hmm, instead of reporting to Babiš, it seems that Koudelka strong-armed him. [ Czech Republic spies prime minister diplomats ]
Glossary of difficult words
to strong-arm - to use force against; to bully or intimidate;
to beat someone to something - to succeed in doing something before someone else does.