Czech parliament blocks prosecution of Andrej Babiš and Tomio Okamura

The Czech Chamber of Deputies has refused to waive the parliamentary immunity of Prime Minister and ANO leader Andrej Babiš in the Čapí hnízdo subsidy case, meaning the court proceedings will not continue for now.

Lawmakers also rejected a court request to allow the prosecution of Tomio Okamura, the Speaker of the Chamber and leader of SPD, over his movement’s election posters from the previous parliamentary campaign.

In both cases, all MPs present from the governing majority of ANO, SPD and the Motorists voted against lifting immunity, following earlier recommendations from the Chamber’s Mandate and Immunity Committee.

Babiš’s prosecution was blocked by 104 votes out of 186 MPs present. Eighty-one opposition lawmakers voted against the decision, while TOP 09 MP Michal Kučera abstained.

The vote on Okamura produced the same result, with 104 MPs rejecting the request and 82 opposition MPs voting against. Opposition Pirates had pushed for a secret ballot, but the proposal was not approved.