A second European Commission audit has found Prime Minister Andrej Babiš
(ANO) in conflict of interest, the news server Neovlivni.cz reports, citing
an “extremely reliable” unidentified source.
The first audit, focused on EU structural funds, determined Babiš is in
conflict of interest because he continues to influence the Agrofert
conglomerate he founded, despite placing it into trust funds in 2017. The
second was focused on the distribution of agricultural subsidies.
However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture spokesman Vojtěch
Bílý, the ministry has not received the final audit report yet, but
merely suporting documents for bilateral negotiations. The final version of
the audit should be ready after the meeting, which will take place on
January 28, he told Czech Radio.
Babiš has rejected the findings of the as-yet unpublished documents,
neither of which have been officially translated into Czech.
Transparency International argues Babiš knows full well what Agrofert
companies are doing and so can take decisions as head of state benefitting
them. The anti-corruption watchdog also notes his wife sits on a trust fund
board, and his own media report on Agrofert’s activities.