Bad time for privatisation

Should the coalition government sell Czech Airlines, Prague Airport or Čepro? The answer is simple: If you consider the instability of the world markets, it should not.

Privatisation in general is usually a very good thing. A private owner can usually look after property better than the state, and it is certainly true in the case of business companies that were set up for the purpose of profit. Since we do not live in honourable Scandinavia and we also also some „natural“ or „genetic“ inclinations, privatisation is also good for another reason in our conditions: It curbs corruption, as it limits the influence of politicians on the operation of companies and on filling high office posts.

Let us, for example, remember the disgusting power games and political skirmishes around the filling of posts at Telecom, when it still was a state company. Posts on the board of directors were distributed based on a political decision and gigantic bonuses were paid out under the supervision of political parties. People were appointed to these functions by politicians and their monthly salaries exceeded the annual salaries of politicians. Let us not believe that politicians did all that for free. Since being sold to the Spanish Telefónica, the company has fortunately stayed separate from politics.

But that is not all. Politicians are also obliged to take care of the property of their taxpayers "with the care of a proper…