Final Word from Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Jiří Rusnok likes to be remembered as the CNB governor who started raising interest rates before other central bankers did, not as the PM who helped Pres. Miloš Zeman and ANO Chair Andrej Babiš squeeze ODS out of power for eight years. Rusnok said on Czech TV yesterday that it is not true that there was a realistic majority in Parliament after the government of Petr Nečas fell 10 years ago. Miroslava Němcová of ODS told HN that Zeman wanted the 101 signatures to be notarized and was setting all kinds of unconstitutional obstacles, so it was clear the government probably wouldn't be possible. Zeman was holding all the cards, because Karel Schwarzenberg and Miroslav Kalousek of TOP 09 flip-flopped and forced Nečas to resign before an agreement was reached on a new PM. It was one of the biggest mistakes ever made in Czech politics. It's a reminder to ODS about how not to behave if the current government of Petr Fiala should perhaps become untenable at some point soon. [ Czech Republic resignation Jana Nagyová Czech National Bank Television Hospodářské noviny ]
Glossary of difficult words
obstacle - a thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress;
untenable - (especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection;
to flip-flop - to make an abrupt reversal of policy.