EP’s Budgetary Control Committee chair: Czech PM’s conflict of interest is real

The chairwoman of the European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee Monika Hohelmeier, has criticized Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’ potential conflict of interest and efforts to intimidate members of the committee who travelled to the Czech Republic in February to gain greater insight into possible mismanagement of EU finances.

Speaking ahead of a European Parliament vote on the Czech prime minister, MEP Hohlmeier said she was convinced the conflict of interest was real, saying the only solution was for the prime minister to sell his business interests, stop receiving any public subsidies including EU funds, or step down from office.

She said Babiš should "fully resolve" his potential conflict of interest before participating in any budget talks. Moreover she and other members of the committee who undertook a fact-finding mission to the Czech Republic pointed out that the Czech Republic lacks a clear system for protecting EU funds against conflicts of interest, which is something that must be addressed.

The Czech prime minister is under scrutiny over millions of euros of EU funds paid to Agrofert, a food, farming, chemicals and media conglomerate he owned, and whose ownership he transferred to two trust funds in 2017.

MEPs are due to vote tomorrow on a resolution calling for the potential conflict of interest by the Czech prime minister to be resolved.