The United States, Canada, Central and South America are separated from the European continent by the Atlantic Ocean.  Perhaps that is the reason American media are often detached from what is occurring outside America.

In fact Americans tend to remain ignorant about the political, economic and social events shaping the European continent. This is an important because events occurring in Europe have potential to affect the entire world.

Foreigners must see these individual events as part of a larger picture. Andrej Babis, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is currently at the centre of a corruption scandal (as reported by irozhlas.cz: Rychlokurz v kauze OKD).

Corruption is nothing new to the Czech population nor American audiences that watch from abroad. Politicians and businessmen are constantly in an exchange behind-the-scenes. This harsh reality is especially true for the countries in the Warsaw Pact. After decades of Soviet control, these countries are still trying to recover.

Babis is the one of the wealthiest citizens of the Czech Republic and has used his popularity and riches to assume the role of Prime Minister. However, he has been in trouble for not completely separating himself from the role he played in his companies. This is a concern shared by many in the United States with President Trump’s role in his businesses. Continue reading →