It was Balkan-style crony capitalism, creating far too cosy a relationship between politics and big business.
But some believe the bus companies have too cosy a life at the moment.
Clearly, the Commonwealth is as cosy a club as only the British could devise.
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Placing a 5% or a 10% stake would be a cosy way of cementing a strategic partnership with Shell or with anybody else.
Blink and you will miss Mazama (population 230), little more than a gas station, a cosy mountain inn and a mercantile store that, between November and April, is the last stop on the road west when Highway 20 across the North Cascades to Seattle is closed due to snow.
For decades, it has been run as a cosy cartel by De Beers, a South African mining giant.
And after returning with a cosy triumph over two-and-a-half miles, trainer Dusty Sheehy is in positive mood.
Mr McGuinness developed a cosy working relationship with Mr Paisley, and now enjoys a similarly close one with his successor, Peter Robinson, the unionist first minister.
The barge has a few cosy reading nooks as well as a resident cat curled up in the corner and a rooftop stage where local musicians perform.
Brand new wine bar Verjus takes the same approach -- a cosy space where you can sit at the bar and order small plates to accompany a concise and well-chosen wine list.
Hungary remains hobbled by corruption (a cosy cartel, especially in local government, slices up European Union funds), a heavy burden of debt and a black economy that may account for one-fifth of GDP.
Continuing the olde English theme is Ye Olde Mitre (1 Ely Court, Ely Place, Holborn), another historic pub with excellent British real ales, while Jerusalem Tavern (Britton Street, Clerkenwell) is a cosy, ramshackle pub in an 18th century building that offers an interesting range of beers, including a honey porter and grapefruit beer.
By reviving suspicions of a cosy, protectionist culture in the Italian elite, the affair has damaged the country's reputation as a place in which to do business just what Italy didn't need as it clears up the mess left behind after the spectacular collapse of Parmalat, a family-controlled dairy group.
You get the impression of a cosy circle, which is not uncommon in literature.
True, but in the meantime, Turkey, Israel and, perhaps, Jordan have quite a cosy arrangement.
French colonial rule was handed over to a cosy coalition, which became the Socialist Party.
There are plenty of volunteers willing to donate cells or provide a cosy womb for the cloned creation.
Shrouded by dense greenery and palm trees, the hotel wraps around a garden with a cosy swimming pool and popular bar.
Casa de Natsu is a cosy guesthouse in northern Kyoto near the botanical gardens, ideal for escaping the hubbub.
Such low turnover is likely to breed a cosy culture of ageing executives who block the advance of younger talent.
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Some foreign investors, keener on a big market and a cosy deal than on the uncertainties of democracy, start coming back.
The U Castellu Guesthouse, a cosy boutique hotel with five modern rooms artfully decorated with quirky touches, encapsulates the laid back beauty of Corsica.
At the south end of Hampstead Heath hides The Garden Gate, a cosy 19th century cottage with dark wood tables, upholstered chairs and an assortment of sofas.
The EU was once a cosy club of western European countries.
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But he did invite cameras to record a cosy private meeting between himself and Sheikha Mozah, the elegantly dressed and unveiled wife of the emir of Qatar.
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Each of the five beautifully-appointed, wood cabins is equipped with a claw-foot tub for soaking, a cosy potbelly stove and most importantly, sweeping views of the valley below.
With your belly full of meat and your head swarming with Raiders of the Lost Ark quotes, get ready for a cosy night at the Chateau Versailles.
Those stakes they keep are being treated more as assets that must pay their way and less as the basis for a cosy friendship with the companies' managers.
The low lights and cosy space are a real plus, but there is very limited viewing space so getting there early is the best way to secure a decent vantage point.
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