Prime Minister Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats, ODS) has accepted Vít Bárta’s (Public Affairs, VV) resignation as transport minister and wants Education Minister Josef Dobeš (VV) and Interior Minister Radek John (VV), in particular, also to go. Meanwhile, VV is demanding the resignations of Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09), Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra (ODS) and Agriculture Minister Ivan Fuksa (ODS).
Rumors are flying and the situation is changing by the hour. But whatever the outcome of backroom deals, Bárta will remain an influential figure in Czech politics — whether as VV party leader or puppet master, pulling the strings at the Transport Ministry and (as he does now) at the Interior Ministry. The fact that he’s a dollar millionaire, in the good graces of President Václav Klaus, and — above all — stronger than Nečas all but ensures his staying power.
Saturday developments
- Information received by Czech Position on Saturday shows that Prime Minister Petr Nečas (ODS) wasn’t at all inclined to sack the three VV ministers but was pushed to do so by ODS parliamentary club chairman Petr Tluchoř and Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, the TOP 09 vice chairman.
- VV is considering whether to accept the situation and field new candidates for the ministerial posts in a reshuffled Cabinet. If the junior coalition party refuses to play along, VV deputies will come under intense pressure to support a minority government composed of its current partners, ODS and TOP 09.
- After Saturday’s meeting, ODS and VV leaders dug into their positions. ODS was insisting that ministers and deputy ministers connected in some way to ABL, the security firm founded by Bárta, must go — and what’s more, that VV cannot lead the Interior Ministry. The VV’s counterproposal —that all its ministers would resign, but only if Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09), Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra (ODS) and Agriculture Minister Ivan Fuka (ODS) also do so — is totally unrealistic. In particular, the notion that Kalousek will go is politically absurd.
- Above all, it is expected that Václav Klaus will want to play a decisive role in all developments. According to Czech Position’s information, before Friday’s meeting at the Prague Castle, Nečas reputedly sent word that for the moment he didn’t have a proposal prepared for Bárta’s resignation. Klaus, who as president must formally accept the resignations of ministers, will certainly want to ensure he plays a key role in the situation; he is definitely not keen on Tluchoř, who is considered to represent the ODS wing loyal to Mirek Topolánek, the former prime minister.
- Klaus will meet with the leaders of the coalition parties (ODS-VV-TOP 09) and developments could go in quite a different direction, as was witnessed during the December crisis that led to the resignation of then environment minister Pavel Drobil (ODS). The result can only weaken the position of Nečas, which doesn’t bode well for the coalition, whatever its composition.
Bárta’s staying power
Vít Bárta entered politics to secure public orders for his former security firm, ABL, now officially fully owned by his brother. But that’s only part of it. Bárta was very fortunate to have Petr Nečasat the helm of the coalition government, who after 12 years in politics reached his peak not long ago and now wants to keep the post at the price of giant tenders and compromises. His sense for self-preservation is strong, and Bárta knows it well — as does nominal VV chairman Radek John.
Furthermore, we must not forget that Bárta still has a strong ally in the person of Václav Klaus. And a very powerful “dollar millionaire,” whose after the elections fell in love with Napoleon, will keep fighting for Bárta’s influence, namely Bárta himself. In order to calm things down a bit, Bárta tendered his resignation as transport minister. At the moment, that isn’t at all important, as he can find a VV loyalist to install in his place and manage the ministry from afar — as Bárta does now at the interior ministry.
He will continue to attend the regular “K-9” meetings of the coalition party leaders as before; even after his resignation, VV counts on his participation. So it will hold on to its current position of power. And on it goes. The question is whether, for sections of the ODS and TOP 09, this will be enough. It won’t be, which is why they are pushing for John’s resignation as well.
The de facto VV chief, who aims to also officially assume the position in May, will also try to keep the VV parliamentary club intact so that it isn’t stripped of deputies by the ODS and TOP 09 before Easter: It would be enough for seven defecting VV deputies to help form an ODS-TOP 09 majority government.
Bárta’s only real enemy now is the media. The leading daily Mladá fronta Dnes alone must have enough material on him to write about for weeks to come, and the VV dirty laundry will soon be washed in a big and very public way. Moreover, what has transpired so far is also an international embarrassment. The only thing is … this is the Czech Republic. The coalition partners are again trundling out the mantra that the reforms are far more important than any scandals.
The only thing is … this is the Czech Republic. The coalition partners are again trundling out the mantra that the reforms are far more important than any scandals, and are using the time-tested demagogic gem that he who votes for the departure of VV is hoping for the return of the main opposition Social Democrats (ČSSD) and unreformed Communists (KSČM) to power.
Nečas was more assertive than usual at the press conference at which he announced that certain ministers in his Cabinet weren’t managing their duties. He’s only just realized this? According to Czech Position’s information, a sizable change is afoot that will impact all three coalition parties. Apart from Interior Minister Radek John and Education Minister Josef Dobeš, as previously mentioned, Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Jaromír Drábek — and in particular Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra — could be sent packing.
At the same time, Nečas is under pressure from the ODS to return Pavel Drobil to government — after a cleansing — but even if he does so, it’s a question of whether he’ll be entrusted with the defense post. Nečas is in an unenviable position, reminiscent of a leader heading an expedition into the desert, with water canteens only in the possession of Bárta, Kalousek and Klaus.
