Babiš says affair surrounding son’s “kidnapping” aimed at forcing him out of politics

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš says a scandal surrounding his son has been created in order to destroy him and force him out of politics. He made the comment in Italy on Tuesday and said the affair was timed to coincide with his foreign trip and this weekend’s anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution.

Seznam Zprávy on Monday carried an interview with Andrej Babiš Jr. in which he said he had been forcibly moved to the Crimea as his father wanted him to “disappear” out of the way of a corruption investigation.

Mr. Babiš says his son is mentally ill and left the Czech Republic voluntarily.

The PM is facing a criminal investigation into allegations he wrongly acquired CZK 50 million in EU subsidies for the Stork’s Nest complex near Prague. He says the case is politically motivated.