Conceited self-proclaimed saviors
Václav Klaus counts on the masses having a very short memory. How else can we explain his comments yesterday in his New Year's address about schemers who spread bad moods and conceited self-proclaimed saviors who want to cast doubt on our democratic political system? Yesterday he clearly had Karel Janeček in mind, but after March 7 it could easily be Klaus himself. He, too, will enter the netherworld of NGOism, and he will try to undermine Czech and European politics from outside the system of political parties. It is unrealistic, he said in Euro, for him to return to Czech politics. By Klaus's own logic, the only other way for him to avoid being one of the very people he criticizes would be to run for European elected office, which he has indeed threatened to do. In this case, he would no doubt become part of the "negativistic" opposition, about which he had nothing good to say yesterday either.
Glossary of difficult words
conceited - excessively proud of oneself; vain; arrogant;self-proclaimed - described as or proclaimed by oneself, without endorsement by others;
netherworld - a hidden underworld or ill-defined area;
NGOism - used by Klaus as a negative term for the nongovernmental sector;
to undermine - to damage or weaken someone or something, esp. gradually or treacherously.