The relationship with the Private Equity group Penta and Mikulas Dzurinda and Robert Fico is likely to sooner or later end the political careers of both.
What is remarkable however is that the scandal neither involves particularly large sums in a time where billions are given to banks in the west nor institutionalised . The real surprise is how "old world" this scandal is. This is not to belittle the scandal, but there are some hopeful signs in that there are more and more people who are making a difference in this small republic. 15 years ago this scandal would not have come to light. The press seems to be doing its job at a time where much of the intellectual and investigative press in the USA and re of EU is in terminal decline for monetary reasons while . The Slovak-canadian journalist Tom Nicholson is to be congratulated for his persistence in bringing information about this case to light.
Also this scandal should lead to reform of the judiciary. It seems to make the position of reformers in SDKU (the pro-business party) much stronger with perhaps the departure of Mikulas Dzurinda from active politics, and a female new guard led by Zitnanska the campaigning judge who did good work in raising the standards of public life. Similarly it is to be hoped that Robert Fico's involvement with the scandal will create a rennaisance inside Smer, bringing to the fore untainted and more forward looking people.
The young people one meets in Bratislava certainly give one the hope that within 10 years the dream of very clean politics by most realistic standards is achievable.
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