Pages

Anna Gilmore leaning on the Czechs

British university study points to tobacco companies’ corruption of Czech politicians

Now I'm no fan of corruption between corporations and politicians, but I think the term they are actually looking for is 'Lobbying'.

Lobbying is where certain people or groups of people try to convince people in power to see things from their point of view.

Lobbying often involves spending a lot of money in the way of hospitality. Corruption involves passing money in brown paper envelopes.

Lobbying is what the Tobacco Control Industry do with millions of pound of taxpayers money.

But when tobacco companies themselves try the same tactic, the Tobacco Control Industry spit out their dummies and call it corruption.
A study undertaken by the British University of Bath and released last month claims to demonstrate that tobacco giants Philip Morris and British American Tobacco are successfully influencing Czech policy makers. The study suggests that lobbying efforts targeted at top officials have resulted in tax structures that favour their brands.
See. When you get into the meat of it, it's not corruption it's tobacco companies doing what Anna Gilmore and her cronies do every day. At least Phillip Morris and BAT are spending their own money.
The study, which was led by the University of Bath’s Risako Shirane and Professor Anna Gilmore, notes that the Czech Republic is also the only European Union Member State to not yet have approved a World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, adding “tobacco control has remained extremely weak in the Czech Republic, with the country’s policies recently being ranked the fourth least effective in Europe.”
Sounds like a nice place to live. Maybe they have not approved the Framework convention on tobacco control because they think it's bollocks? If so, they would be correct.
Meanwhile, analysing the report, news site IHned.cz pointed to a recent decision by Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek to raise duties on cheap cigarettes by five crowns, while the more expensive cigarettes produced by tobacco giants such as Philip Morris, were only increased in price by two crowns.
It's a pity they felt the need to raise tax at all, but maybe what they are doing is trying to harmonise retail prices.
Responding to the accusations, Philip Morris said that governments were entirely free to choose how they legislate.
It's a pity most of them legislate out of their arses. Do you think the Czech Republic might be influenced by all this in the near future and become another state that demonises and penalises smokers and fatties? Could they become another nanny state?

Prague 7 authorities turn to DNA in battle over dog poop
Municipal authorities in the Prague 7 district are considering taking DNA samples of dog poop not cleared up by irresponsible owners in an effort to identify offenders.
Yes.

2 Comments:

James Higham said...

Anonymous said...