Czech gov’t rejects Euro Parliament resolution on PM Babiš’s conflict of interest

The Czech government has rejected a European Parliament decision according to which Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is in a conflict of interest. Only the courts decide such matters, said Minister for Regional Development Klára Dostálová, who is responsible for EU subsidies.

MEPs voted overwhelmingly on June 10 to issue proceedings against Babiš for breaches of EU law regarding his conflict of interest. The non-binding resolution supported conclusions of an earlier European Commission audit finding he had breached both Czech and EU conflict of interest legislation.

The allegations concern Agrofert, the chemical and agricultural conglomerate Babiš founded in 1993. Though compelled to cede control of Agrofert in 2017 under a Czech law dubbed “Lex Babiš” – by establishing trust funds – he remains its sole beneficiary, the EC audit concluded.