Corruption at heart of “clean” government

The new Public Affairs party (VV), a member of the Czech ruling coalition, is close to imploding after being hit by a corruption scandal exposed byRespekt. “Testimony of a VV politician: ‘For my silence [on party funding], I got 50,000 [crowns] per month” ran the Prague weekly’s headline on April 4, quoting the Vice-President of the party, Jaroslav Skarka, now expelled. VV leader Vit Barta, also questioned, defended himself by saying he was paying out not bribes but loans.

“Barta hits back at Skarka: latter also borrowed money from others,” Hospodářské noviny also headlines on April 7. Now that Prime Minister Nečas has invited his junior coalition partner to explain the whole story to the Czech public, “Public Affairs has one foot in the grave,” writesHN. “The Czech Republic again looks like a country of lunatics. Our government is fighting against corruption – just not in its own ranks. Meanwhile, decisive reforms are left by the wayside. How can we trust this government?” the Prague daily asks.