Final Word from Thursday, March 10, 2022
PM Petr Fiala said after yesterday's cabinet meeting that the influx of refugees from Ukraine will present a huge challenge for all of us in the coming months in terms of both organizing the response and securing the finances. The cabinet is aware, he said, that the initial excitement of helping the refugees can quickly turn into fatigue. What Fiala didn't say is who will be on the receiving end if and when the enthusiasm fades. There are several possibilities. The refugees could of course themselves become the subject of animosity, esp. if Czechs feel the newcomers are being treated better by the government than they are themselves. Hatred of Vladimir Putin could rise for starting the war, as could dislike of Volodymyr Zelensky for not ending it. The USA and EU also have a hand in what is happening and will be increasingly vulnerable to attack. Fiala's cabinet must be aware, though, that once the fatigue sets in and the blame game begins, it will be the one directly in the firing line. [ Czech Republic U.S. United States European Union Ukrainian ]
Glossary of difficult words
fatigue - a lessening in one's response to or enthusiasm for something, caused by overexposure;
influx - an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things;
to be on the receiving end - to be in the position of being subject to some kind of action or effect, esp. an unpleasant one;
to fade - gradually to grow faint and disappear;
blame game - a situation in which one party blames others for something bad or unfortunate rather than attempting to seek a solution;
firing line - a situation in which one is subject to criticism or blame because of one's responsibilities or position.