(ANSA-AP) - PRAGUE, JUNE 5 - Tens of thousands rallied in the
Czech capital on Tuesday to demand the resignation of embattled
Prime Minister Andrej Babis amid accusations he's in a conflict
of interests over his former business empire.
Babis, a populist billionaire, has already been under
pressure after Czechs have rallied in great numbers in Prague
and elsewhere in recent weeks. They are protesting the
appointment of his new justice minister who they say might
compromise the legal system at a time when prosecutors have to
decide whether to indict Babis over alleged fraud involving
European Union funds in a separate case.
The protesters in downtown Wenceslas Square turned against
Babis in one of the biggest anti-government protests since the
1989 Velvet Revolution, days after a preliminary confidential EU
report said Babis was still the beneficiary of his Agrofert
conglomerate of more than 200 companies. "We demand the
resignation of Andrej Babis," rally organizer Mikulas Minar told
the crowd. "Resign, resign," and "We had enough," the protesters
chanted.
Babis, who denies wrongdoing, called the report an attack on
his country. Babis was required to transfer ownership of his
businesses to two trust funds in February 2017. The preliminary
report leaked to multiple Czech media outlets in recent days
concluded he still formally controls the businesses and is in a
position to influence the EU subsidies they receive. "I would
never do anything like that," Babis told lawmakers in the lower
house of parliament during a session on this issue earlier in
the day. "I'm not a fool." Babis called the EU findings untrue
and called the report "an attack on the Czech Republic, an
attack on Czech interests, a destabilization of the Czech
Republic."
The report suggests the country should return about 17.5
million euros (about $19.7 million) that Agrofert received in EU
funds. It said it presents preliminary findings, conclusions and
recommendations that still can be modified after the EU receives
comments from the Czech side. The protesters again demanded the
resignation of Justice Minister Marie Benesova, who has
significant control over prosecutors. The protesters are angry
that Marie Benesova was appointed shortly after police
recommended Babis' indictment in April. As a lawmaker, Benesova
voted against a police request to strip Babis of parliamentary
immunity to face investigation.
Babis is a controversial figure because of a power-sharing
deal with the Communist Party and the fraud charges. His
position is also complicated by allegations he collaborated with
the former communist-era secret police and his conflict of
interest.
The protesters announced a major protest to take place in a
Prague park on June 23 if their demands aren't met. (ANSA-AP).
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