PRAGUE — The Czech lower parliamentary house convened on Thursday to determine whether Prime Minister Andrej Babiš should retain immunity from prosecution in a high-profile €2 million fraud case involving European Union agricultural subsidies. This pivotal decision would enable Prague’s Municipal Court to proceed with judicial proceedings and deliver a final verdict in the longstanding legal battle.
The case revolves around the ‘Stork’s Nest’ farm complex, which received EU subsidies designated exclusively for small and medium enterprises after its ownership was transferred from Babiš’s Agrofert conglomerate to his family members. Agrofert, a massive holding company, subsequently reacquired the property, raising questions about eligibility for the subsidies, which were later returned.
Despite two previous acquittals by the Municipal Court, an appeals court overturned both rulings, citing insufficient evidence evaluation and explicitly recommending a guilty verdict in the retrial. Babiš maintains his innocence, characterizing the investigation as ‘clearly politically motivated.’ Prosecutors initially sought a suspended sentence and financial penalties for the billionaire leader, who commenced his third term as prime minister in December following his ANO movement’s electoral victory.
Simultaneously, Jana Nagyová, Babiš’s former associate who authorized the subsidy application and now serves as a European Parliament member, will face retrial after the EU legislature revoked her immunity protections.
Babiš’s current coalition government, formed with the anti-immigration Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the right-wing Motorists group, has pursued policies distancing the Czech Republic from Ukraine support and challenging certain EU directives, adding geopolitical significance to the judicial proceedings.