Zeman farm visit seen as sign of closer ties with Babiš

On Thursday President Miloš Zeman visited a farm in central Bohemia. Not just any farm, but the controversial Stork’s Nest. It is owned by ANO chief Andrej Babiš’s company Agrofert and is at the centre of an investigation over the alleged misuse of EU funds. Some have suggested the visit is the strongest signal yet of a growing closeness between the two politicians. But to what end? I spoke to political scientist Petr Just.

Miloš Zeman, Andrej Babiš, photo: CTK

“It’s not good when the president of the republic is actually supporting a person and a project that is quite controversial and is causing quite emotional reactions on both the European and domestic political scene.

“The second thing is whether this can be seen as a signal that ties between Andrej Babiš and Miloš Zeman are getting closer and closer.

“There were already several things in the past that connected them somehow, and this visit probably shows the closest relations between them.”

If we are to believe that there is some kind of alliance between them, how does each of them stand to benefit from such an alliance?

“Andrej Babiš is a very ambitious politician and he has never hidden his ambition to become prime minister some time in the future.

“The public opinion polls show that his ANO movement is doing very well and is a potential winner of the next parliamentary elections.

Petr Just|Photo: Charles University

“Therefore Andrej Babiš would probably like to seek the office of prime minister – but this will very much depend on the president.

“This might be the benefit that Andrej Babiš might get from this strategic alliance.

“On the other hand, Miloš Zeman could get the support of a major parliamentary political party

“Although we don’t know about Miloš Zeman’s future – whether he is going to run again for president – he will probably need either direct or indirect support from some political force.”

Some people might say politicians often form marriages of convenience; there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just politics. But do you see some potential danger in such an alliance?

“Andrej Babiš has risen in politics with rhetoric aimed at previous corrupt governments and previous politics.

“He tries to stand aside from the standard political parties and the standard political system and somehow challenge them.

“Miloš Zeman is actually a representative of the political system that Andrej Babiš is fighting against.

Miloš Zeman, Andrej Babiš, photo: CTK

“Many people might see current issues related to Andrej Babiš’s closeness with Miloš Zeman as meaning that Andrej Babiš might be a little hypocritical, that it’s just a strategic alliance and that Andrej Babiš is somehow forgetting that he came into politics to fight the established system.

“Because Miloš Zeman is responsible for the establishment that is currently the main target of Andrej Babiš’s politics.”