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FAULTY

The whole issue of tolling was doomed from the outset to contain significant potential for corruption. And it was only a matter of time before speculation began about who would be involved in the project. At this point, it appears that a significant factor in the toll gambit is the proven active participation of the ANO movement's number two, Jaroslav Faltýnek. Incidentally, as always, wiretaps have been leaked to the media, which indicate much. According to them, Faltýnek was supposed to be in hotels in Brno, discussing with Kapsch and even with the Office for the Protection of Competition what to do and how to do it. The impressions from the visit of his party boss Andrej Babiš to the USA and the cabaret performance with elements of Moravian folklore by Radek Vondráček on the floor of the Senate of the Czech Republic are still reverberating, and it is already a bit unexpected that a nutritious scandal has to be dealt with. Indeed, the manoeuvring around a multi-billion dollar business raises some doubts. A tender launched in 2005 found an oft-contested winner in Kapsch. In 2016, the contract was extended for three years without a tender. The toll operator thus won the contract for CZK 5.25 billion. However, it is unclear why the chairman of the Office of the Public Prosecutor, Rafaj, was involved in the informal negotiations and it will probably be the subject of an investigation. And the role of Faltýnek? His proven and admitted involvement is not supported by the mandate of the Transport Coalition Council, which was established for somewhat different purposes. Clearly, this is a foul (at least a yellow card, perhaps a red card), and not the first one committed by the Prostějov agronomist. While experience makes it clear that this case does not have the parameters that could charge the opposition to put more pressure on personnel renewal, on the other hand, mistakes are starting to pile up and nervousness is rising.