Paroubek breaks silence

Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) leader Jiří Paroubek says he is waging a war on two fronts, against both political opponents and the media, in the lead-up to the May 28-29 general election.

After days of media silence, Paroubek spoke with The Prague Post May 13, sounding off on an array of issues including the economy, the euro currency and the disorder that has beset the rival Civic Democrats (ODS).

Just weeks before parliamentary elections, Paroubek announced a boycott of three major Czech-language daily newspapers and two weekly magazines, accusing them of biased coverage. He since stepped back from the boycott after members of his own party pressured him to return to the fray.

Unsurprisingly, Paroubek touts the economy as the major priority for a future government.

"We'd like to build on our economic successes in the years 1998 to 2006, when the economy of our republic was aimed in the right direction," he said, referring to years that the Social Democrats were in power. "The main priority of the government will be getting the country back on the economic level it was at before the economic crisis."

The ČSSD has been the target of pointed attacks in both the media and from the general public. ČSSD Deputy Chairman Bohuslav Sobotka was attacked by a drunken assailant at a rally in Brno May 5. The incident prompted the Social Democrats to curtail public events in the campaign's final weeks.

Some political commentators agree that the media has played a divisive and biased role in the lead-up to elections.

"The Czech media is not doing a good job of covering things impartially," said Jiří Pehe, a former aide to President Václav Havel who is now the director of New York University in Prague. "Most of their efforts are directed at stopping the Social Democrats, and they are waging a propaganda battle of their own."

While the euro has been under fire in political circles as well as on international currency markets, reaching a four-year low against the U.S. dollar May 17, Paroubek remains an advocate of moving the Czech Republic into the eurozone as soon as possible in stark contrast to many of the right-leaning parties.

"One of the greatest challenges is the need of establishing the common European currency in the Czech Republic," he said. "When the Social Democratic government ended in 2006, our republic was fulfilling the necessary criteria to enter the European Monetary Union. But the coalition government led by the Civic Democrats (ODS) unfortunately wasn't able to continue in our policy and thus postponed the adoption of the euro."

The ČSSD, however, pledges to abolish health fees on doctor's visits, protect pensions and increase maternity benefits, moves critics say cannot be paid for during tough economic times. The ČSSD has received heavy criticism from other parties for making pre-election promises they won't be able to keep as budget deficits continue to soar. It remains unclear how the party would slash the projected 2010 budget deficit of 5.3 percent down to the required 3 percent for entry to the eurozone, many analysts say the numbers don't add up.

And, while he did not say so openly, Paroubek seems to relish the fall of long-term rival Mirek Topolánek as head of the ODS,

"I would say the change of the ODS election leader caught the Civic Democrats in a kind of agony," Paroubek said. "The party cannot lead an election program discussion and therefore has reduced its campaign to a so-called negative campaign."

Like all parties, the Social Democrats say they will reduce corruption. They propose to pay for increased maternity benefits by drawing on profits from the state-owned energy giant ČEZ. The party insists it can cut into budgetary shortfalls through "more equitable" taxation policies in the form of increased taxes on high earners. They also pledge to cut wasteful spending, another common refrain among all parties. 

In the end, Paroubek's strongest feelings seem to come out on the issue of negative campaigning, a tactic he and his party have been accused of in the past.

"I think the election should be about the program and the intentions of the parties for the future," he said, "not about making a bogeyman out of an opponent."

The Social Democrats continue to lead all major public opinion polls.

Benjamin Cunningham can be reached at
bcunningham@praguepost.com