Andrej Babiš, the self-styled tycoon that secured victory in the recent parliamentary vote, has declined to sell his extensive corporate assets, while insisting he will address a conflict of interest that could block him from taking the position of prime minister.
Babiš, whose ANO party came first in the autumn vote but did not secure a parliamentary majority, declared in a social media post that he would not divest his Agrofert conglomerate, which is active in agriculture, food processing, and chemical industries.
“I have consistently stated I will not sell Agrofert. I have repeatedly stated I will address the ethical issue in compliance with national and European laws,” the billionaire remarked. “This is different from selling a pastry in a bakery.”
The Czech president, Petr Pavel, announced that the elderly political figure must publicly explain how he will eliminate ethical conflicts arising from his business activities before assuming the role of premier.
The Czech constitution “clearly mandates the president to take into account the possible emergence of a conflict of interest and the possibilities for its resolution” when appointing cabinet members, Pavel's office explained.
The head of state “wants it to be clear in what precise manner Andrej Babiš will meet his statutory duties”, the statement said, stating that Pavel was prepared to designate Babiš as prime minister “without delay” once the matter was settled.
Babiš's several hundred companies, primarily under the Agrofert group, function in the Czech Republic and other central European states, benefiting from millions of euros in national and EU agricultural and other subsidies, as well as public contracts.
Under national legislation, cabinet members cannot receiving public aid or contracts. The anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has stated that to avoid a conflict of interest, Babiš must either divest, refuse government deals, or not enter public office.
Babiš said he would “abide by the laws” if appointed as prime minister, but declined to detail how in beforehand because the matter was “an highly personal and personal matter for me, and the media will invariably question me anyway”.
During his initial tenure as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš encountered multiple legal battles and an EU investigation over potential ethical issues. He temporarily moved his assets into fiduciary arrangements, while keeping some influence over them.
A judicial body and the EU executive both ruled that this was insufficient. Babiš confirmed last month that he was once more the sole owner of Agrofert and maintained he was “taking steps” to prevent a ethical problem, but declined to reveal specifics.
The wealthy politician has concluded a coalition agreement with two minor right-leaning groups, the far-right, Russia-friendly SPD, which has advocated a referendum on leaving the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has mainly campaigned against the EU’s Green Deal.
The incoming administration, if approved, is expected to bolster the populist bloc in the region and might strain western support for Ukraine – even though Babiš has called Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to confirm of the nation's backing.
Pavel, who as head of state has a role for foreign policy, also demanded that the government agenda include a statement on the government’s position on the conflict in Ukraine, with a commitment to fulfilling alliance duties.
The president has earlier said he would not approve any ministerial nominees who might question the Czech Republic’s international alliances, a requirement that the ultra-conservative party has indicated it will meet by proposing non-partisan experts.
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