Former Czech Prime Minister and current frontrunner in the upcoming elections, Andrej Babiš, has claimed a decision by the High Court in Prague this week to overturn an acquittal over alleged EU subsidy fraud was politically motivated.
Andrej Babiš, who served as prime minister of the Czech Republic from 2017 to 2021 and whose right-wing populist ANO party currently holds a commanding lead in the polls ahead of the October elections, will once again face a criminal trial, Blesk reported.
The billionaire turned politician was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2023 in a trial over alleged subsidy fraud during the development of the Bohemia-based Stork’s Nest hotel.
Babiš had been accused of selling shares in the company to relatives and others to separate the project from his larger Agrofert firm and thus qualify for a European Union small business fund of two million euros.
This week, the High Court in Prague overturned the acquittal against the former PM and his aide, Jana Nagyová, finding that the previous ruling in 2023 did not take into account the full evidence against the pair.
Prosecutors allege that the move had resulted in the Regional Council of Central Bohemia losing out on 49.9 million crowns (€2m). However, the defence noted that the hotel project contributed 500 million crowns (€20m) in taxes to the region and that the company had willingly returned the EU subsidy in 2018 to mitigate reputational damage.
Following this week’s decision to restart the trial, Babiš said, “I am convinced that this is a political trial. It is completely absurd, outrageous, and purposeful.”
The former PM said that he believes the initial case was brought against him after it became clear in 2016 that “no one could corrupt me” and that he would not “steal” from the public like other establishment party figures.
The reopening of the case comes just over three months before the Czech people will head to the polls to decide on the country’s next prime minister.
According to a recent survey, the ANO party led by Babiš currently holds a commanding lead in the race, with the support of 31.4 per cent of voters, compared to 19.9 per cent for the neo-liberal Spolu (Together) coalition led by incumbent Prime Minister Petr Fiala.
The fresh trial against Babiš also comes amid increasing accusations of lawfare against populist politicians in Europe, including the banning of former frontrunning candidate Călin Georgescu from recent presidential elections after the previous vote in November was cancelled after he secured a surprise victory in the first round.
Similar accusations of lawfare have also been made in France, with frontrunning candidate Marine Le Pen facing a potential ban from the 2027 presidential elections over alleged misuse of European Union funds.
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