Trial against presidential candidate Andrej Babiš to resume in January

The case against former prime minister and presidential candidate Andrej Babiš which resumed briefly on Monday at the Prague Municipal Court has been postponed until the beginning of January. The ANO leader is accused of wrongfully acquiring around 50 million crowns in EU subsidies by misrepresenting the size of the Stork’s Nest conference centre near Prague and forging his son’s signature to accomplish this goal. An expert who testified on Monday was indecisive as to whether the signature of Andrej Babiš junior could have been signed by his father, but did not rule out the possibility. The ANO opposition leader denied the accusations in an emotional testimony, claiming he was a good father and had not abused his son’s mental health problems. The trial was put off at the request of the defense.

The court hearing will resume at the start of January and the court could deliver a verdict just days before the presidential elections, in which Mr. Babiš is contesting, take place. Lawyers say that if Mr. Babiš is elected head of state, then criminal proceedings against him would have to be suspended for the duration of his term of office.