Andrej Babiš, the self-proclaimed tycoon who won last month's Czech election, has declined to sell his extensive corporate assets, while insisting he will resolve a ethical dilemma that might prevent him from taking the position of head of government.
Babiš, whose ANO party came first in the October election but lacked a majority in parliament, declared in a social media post that he will not divest his Agrofert conglomerate, which operates in agriculture, food production, and chemicals.
“I have repeatedly said I will not sell Agrofert. I have consistently stated I will address the conflict of interest in compliance with Czech and EU regulations,” Babiš remarked. “This is different from selling a roll in a bakery.”
The head of state, Petr Pavel, stated that the 71-year-old political figure must clarify openly how he will eliminate conflicts of interest stemming from his business activities before being appointed premier.
The Czech constitution “clearly mandates the president to consider the potential occurrence of a conflict of interest and the possibilities for its resolution” when selecting government ministers, the presidential administration explained.
The president “wants it to be clear in what specific way Andrej Babiš will fulfil his statutory duties”, the statement added, noting that Pavel was prepared to appoint Babiš as prime minister “immediately” once the matter was resolved.
Babiš's several hundred firms, primarily under the Agrofert group, function in the nation and other regional countries, receiving millions of euros in domestic and European farming and other grants, as well as public contracts.
Under national legislation, cabinet members cannot receiving state support or contracts. The ethics organization Transparency International has stated that to prevent a ethical breach, Babiš must either divest, refuse public contracts, or not enter government.
Babiš said he would “follow the regulations” if appointed as premier, but declined to detail how in advance because the matter was “an highly personal and private affair for me, and the media will always criticise me regardless”.
During his initial tenure as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš faced several legal battles and an EU investigation over possible ethical issues. He temporarily moved his holdings into trust funds, while keeping certain control over them.
A judicial body and the EU executive both ruled that this did not suffice. Babiš confirmed last month that he was once more the sole owner of Agrofert and insisted he was “implementing measures” to prevent a ethical problem, but declined to reveal details.
The billionaire populist has signed a coalition agreement with two minor right-leaning groups, the far-right, Russia-friendly SPD, which has advocated a public vote on leaving the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has primarily campaigned against the EU’s environmental policy.
The incoming administration, if approved, is likely to bolster the populist bloc in the region and might challenge western support for Ukraine – although Babiš has called Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to assure him of the nation's backing.
Pavel, who as president has a role for international relations, also demanded that the government agenda add a statement on the official stance on the conflict in Ukraine, including a pledge to meeting alliance duties.
The president has previously said he would not endorse any ministerial nominees who might question the Czech Republic’s EU and Nato commitments, a condition that the far-right SPD has said it will satisfy by proposing non-partisan experts.
Elara is a seasoned writer and digital storyteller with a passion for exploring diverse literary genres and empowering others through words.
