Bursík to iHNed.cz: for me, the proof of a successful democracy in the Czech Republic would be Martin Roman in jail
25. listopadu 2012, 15:06
The former Chairman of the Board and CEO of the state-controlled energy holding ČEZ, its present Chairman of the Supervisory Board, billionaire, and member of the Plzeň-based “Škoda Boys” Martin Roman is being seriously challenged via another strong negative opinion about him. Over the past year or so, Andrej Babiš and Radim Jančura voiced their beliefs quite loudly. Now they have been joined by the twofold ex-minister Martin Bursík.
In an interview for iHNed.cz, Bursík said: “For me, the proof of a successful democracy in the Czech Republic would be a situation when Martin Roman would be in jail.”
Radim Jančura, the owner of Student Agency, declared to the major Slovak daily SME in October 2011: “Martin Roman is the worst criminal in this country, and will be behind bars within six months.”
One month earlier, the owner of Agrofert Holding Andrej Babiš make his views known in Hospodářské noviny. He said that corruption was present all over the world, but it had simply gone over the top as far as some people in the Czech Republic were concerned. When asked by the journalist: “When did this happen, in your opinion?” Babiš replied: “About the time when Pavel Bém and his buddy Janoušek came to the Prague City Hall. And with the advent of Prime Minister Topolánek with his minions Marek Dalík and Aleš Řebíček. Since the time when both men were respectively responsible for the running of the Transport and Environment Departments, both Departments, as well as state-owned ČEZ managed by Martin Roman, have been considered as the most corrupt and stolen-from entities alongside the Prague City Hall.”
On Česká televize, the Czech public TV channel, Foreign Affairs Minister and TOP 09 Chairman Karel Schwarzenberg said in September 2011: “It’s a matter of common knowledge in this country that ČEZ has been funding political parties.”
These are serious assertions and charges by leading business people and present/past government officials. Other influential people have been sharing identical or similar opinions (albeit in private, at least for the time being).
The Roman story could pick up more momentum in the following months.
-mot-
Translated by Lingvus