Karolína Peake in damage-control mode
After nearly a month of unsympathetic articles by Česká pozice, Týden and other publications about the sale of her villa in Troja, Karolína Peake finally gave some answers today to MFD. She said that after paying for the original building, adjacent land, cleanup, demolition, reconstruction and three mortgages, she and her husband only netted about Kč 5-7m on the Kč 57m sale. Given that the property truly is as gorgeous as she asserts, an investment of Kč 50m sounds about right. People familiar with Troja real estate also say that the Kč 57m sales price is reasonable. This doesn't leave much room, if any, for Roman Janoušek or anyone else to use the sale to funnel money to VV, as some of the unsympathetic articles have suggested. So why did it take Peake so long to react? Damage control is not her strong point, which is a potential problem for someone whose name is being tossed around for defense minister.
Glossary of difficult words
damage control - action taken to limit the damaging effects of an accident or error;mode - a way or manner in which something occurs or is experienced, expressed or done;
unsympathetic - unfriendly; not feeling, showing or expressing concern or compassion;
adjacent - next to or adjoining something else;
to net - to acquire or obtain a sum of money as clear profit;
gorgeous - beautiful; very attractive;
to funnel - to guide or channel.