Will you still Respekt me tomorrow?

A typical trick of politicians is to tell a journalist something scandalous or otherwise out of bounds and to claim later that it was supposed to be off the record. Steve Bannon used this device last week as a parting shot before leaving the White House. Justice Min. Robert Pelikán deployed a version of it in today's Respekt. He cast doubt on the police request for lifting Andrej Babiš's immunity, and then he accused Respekt of violating the copyright law by printing the interview over his objection. From a legal standpoint, Respekt was completely within its right. The copyright law specifically excludes "daily news," and it could easily be argued in court that such an explosive comment by the justice minister fits the bill. Whether Respekt should have fallen into Pelikán's trap, though, is another matter. Pelikán warned during the interview that he might object to its publication, just as a pick-up artist tells his prey during the lustful act that he loves her. Pelikán has used and abused Respekt to make a major political statement that benefits his party boss. Will anti-Babiš readers still love Respekt tomorrow?