Supreme State Attorney rejects decision to halt prosecution of PM Babiš over subsidy fraud

Supreme State Attorney Pavel Zeman has rejected a decision by the Prague state attorney, a subordinate, to halt the criminal investigation into whether Prime Minister Andrej Babiš illegally acquired two million euros in EU subsidies for his Stork’s Nest complex a decade ago.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Zeman said the case of Prime Minister Babiš and his close business associate Jana Mayerová would be returned to the Prague State Attorney’s office, while the investigation of Mr Babiš family members would be definitively halted.

Mr. Babiš is suspected of having manipulated the status of the farm and hotel compound in order to acquire an EU grant intended to support small and medium-sized businesses.

The Prague State Attorney’s Office in September halted the four-year-long investigation of Mr Babiš and members of his family, justifying the decision by saying that at the time of receiving the subsidy, the Stork’s Nest centre fulfilled the respective conditions to meet the grant.

Author: Ruth Fraňková