Bob Fliedr - Klausovy pardony

Václav Klaus has helped businessman Tomáš Malina, convicted of fraud running into hundreds of millions of crowns: he stayed his imprisonment and considers exercising clemency. Václav Klaus has helped former boss of Prague Metropolitan University Anna Benešová, convicted of bribery and embezzlement of funds: he granted her clemency. These are the latest two showcase examples of interventions by the Czech President: First he pretends there are no corrupt elements out there. But when somebody is indicted at long last, he grants him presidential pardon. His message to the public: Don’t worry about corruption!

But Klaus’s pardons send a strong message to police officers, public prosecutors and judges: You have spent scores and hundreds of hours disclosing theft and fraud. You have proved your boldness and courage. So what? I, the arbiter supreme, have a different perspective.

Prague pubic prosecutor Marek Bodlák has a simple recipe: We have a man at the Castle who is more adept to judge someone’ guilt than the whole system of justice. Let him be the one to decide about crime and punishment. Such a proposition deserves support: Bodlák for President!