President Pavel signs tougher version of conflict of interest legislation

President Petr Pavel has signed an amendment adding stricter conditions to the conflict of interest law, the presidential office informed on Thursday.

Under the legislation, politicians will not be able to transfer media ownership to a close person or to a trust fund, and there will be higher fines for violating the law. Stricter rules will also apply to accepting subsidies and incentives.

The legislation, directed against ANO’s billionaire boss Andrej Babiš, who owns two major dailies and a popular radio station, was approved in 2016, and is widely referred to as “Lex Babiš”.