'Suitcase' Sobotka v. 'Plastic Bag' Fischer

ČSSD Chair Bohuslav Sobotka can't muster the courage to face Miloš Zeman directly, but he's jumping at the opportunity to do so through a proxy. The intransparent financing of Jan Fischer's presidential campaign gives Sobotka an easy excuse to deny ČSSD's support to the Rusnok government in the confirmation vote. It's a risky move for Sobotka. What does he do if Rusnok sacks Fischer before the confirmation vote? Sobotka will then be stuck with voting for Zeman's Curia regis (king's council). By attacking Fischer's intransparent financing, Sobotka also risks rekindling interest in his own murky finances. Four years ago we gave young Bohuslav the nickname "Suitcase" Sobotka because of the stories we kept hearing from insiders about his preferred method of payment as finance minister. Doubts in 2009 about the origins of the Kč 5m he paid up front for a Kč 7m apartment almost cost him his political career. Fischer's career is now threatened by plastic bags full of bills. Sobotka has more in common with Fischer than he would ever admit.