Czech press survey - February 3

The corruption probably happened under the best government Slovakia has had. It was a cabinet that was stealing, but much less and in a much smarter way than its precedessors and successors, Palata writes.

However, after the first outrage passes, one should repeat the following sentence: "Corruption is not the only, but only one of the criteria with which to select politicians," he adds.

Maybe everyone really steals, but some can do something more. Democracy and elections still make sense. This is true not only of Slovakia, Palata writes.

The present-day economic stagnation is translating into politics, Lenka Zlamalova writes in Lidove noviny.

Prime Minister Petr Necas has already announced that another 26 billion crowns will have to be cut in the budget, Zlamalova writes.

The space for the routine politics of higher welfare benefits, lower taxes and better public services is narrowing, she adds.

The themes are being looked for that are of major interest and do not cost much, Zlamalova writes.

Czechs live in an era in which it is not any luxury to own a car, but not to own it, Zbynek Petracek writes in Lidove noviny, commenting on the latest figures revealing that Czechs have outstripped Denmark in the number of cars per head and are approaching the U.S. dream of one car per two persons.

If handicapped elderly are not taken into accunt, the middle classes in big towns can make do without cars. In them, a dense and reliable public transport works, while in the historical centres, one can easily walk on foot or use bicycles, Petracek writes.

The other day, it used to be said that towns are rich and the province is poor. Now this is no longer true when it comes to car ownership, In the village, one can hardly survive without a car as its residents cannot go anywhere or buy anything, he adds.

In a big town, one survive without a car easily. In Prague, there are almost twice as many cars per head than in Berlin. Does it perhaps mean that Prague is twice as rich? Petracek asks.

No, it only means that the luxury of a life without a car has not yet reached Prague, he adds.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz