Influence On Politics
ČEZ is the largest utility and biggest public company in Central and Eastern Europe. Its influence on the Czech politics and connections to Russia have recently come under scrutiny. According to the Economist, "though nominally state-run, many see the power flowing the other way: from ČEZ’s board into politics".
The management of ČEZ has financed the country’s largest political parties – the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Social Democrats (CSSD). One analysis points out that the financing has resembled that coming from PPF and J&T, two firms which have been highly active in Russia since the early 1990s and their senior management is known to have links to the former Czechoslovak StB security service and the Soviet KGB.
A Czech court recently ruled that, as a state-owned company, CEZ must disclose political activities.
Leaked pictures show politicians across political spectrum, including a former Prime Minister, holidaying with ČEZ lobbyists in Italy.
As of late 2010 the European Union is investigating ČEZ. The company's offices were raided in November 2010.
ČEZ selected a mysterious company called CEEI to construct a billion dollar nuclear storage facility for the Czech Republic. The company's paper trace ends in U.B.I.E, a company registered in Liechtenstein. Russia's honorary consul is named as its director. The company is believed to be under Russian control. CEEI's directors include Václav Klaus's former chief of staff (Jiří Kovář) and a man who is jail for kidnapping.
Read more about this topic: CEZ Group
Famous quotes containing the words influence on, influence and/or politics:
“I am not sure but I should betake myself in extremities to the liberal divinities of Greece, rather than to my country’s God. Jehovah, though with us he has acquired new attributes, is more absolute and unapproachable, but hardly more divine, than Jove. He is not so much of a gentleman, not so gracious and catholic, he does not exert so intimate and genial an influence on nature, as many a god of the Greeks.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I have thought a sufficient measure of civilization is the influence of good women.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Political organizations have slowly substituted themselves for the Churches as the places for believing practices.... Politics has once again become religious.”
—Michel de Certeau (1925–1986)