Court: Babiš’s conflict of interest ruled Agrofert out of public contracts

A ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court has confirmed that, during Andrej Babiš’s (ANO) first term (2017-2021) as prime minister, his conflict of interest barred Agrofert companies not only from receiving subsidies but also from bidding for small-scale public contracts.

The court rejected an appeal by the Moravian-Silesian Region, which had hired Navos Farm Technic—part of Agrofert—to build school workshops in Bruntál. The Ministry for Regional Development then refused to pay part of a state subsidy. The argument behind it was that, at the time, although Babiš had placed Agrofert in a trust, an EU audit found he still indirectly controlled it.

Agrofert firms have recently filed a string of such unsuccessful appeals over withheld subsidies.

Now incoming prime minister Babiš, has announced he will sever ties with Agrofert to avoid further conflict-of-interest disputes. Opposition politicians and some experts doubt whether this new arrangement truly cuts his economic links to Agrofert.