The allegation that Karel Srba, a senior foreign-ministry official, had hired a hitman to murder a journalist was certainly shocking.

ECONOMIST: A Czech scandal

True, Sabina Slonkova (who, in the event, was unharmed) had been digging up dirt for the daily Mlada fronta Dnes on deals Mr Srba had helped to cut.

ECONOMIST: A Czech scandal

Mr Srba will have to explain how he came by the wads of cash found by the police and how he renovated two farms outside Prague on his paltry state salary.

ECONOMIST: A Czech scandal