Andrej Babiš, the billionaire and self-styled “Trumpist” who won last week’s election in the Czech Republic, has refused to part with his vast business empire but insists he will resolve the conflict of interest that could hinder his appointment as prime minister.
Babiš, whose ANO party comfortably finished first in the October election but fell short of a parliamentary majority, said on Thursday on social media that he has no intention of selling Agrofert, his agro-industrial conglomerate that spans agriculture, food production and chemicals.
“I have said many times that I will never sell Agrofert. I have said many times that I will resolve the conflict of interest in line with Czech and European law,” said Babiš, whose wealth is estimated at $3.9bn (£2.9bn). “This is not the same as selling a bun in a bakery.”
His comments came after Czech president Petr Pavel stressed on Wednesday that the 71-year-old populist must publicly explain how he intends to eliminate the conflict of interest arising from his business activities before he can be appointed prime minister.
According to Pavel’s office, the Czech constitution “explicitly requires the president to take into account the potential for a conflict of interest and the means of resolving it” when deciding on government appointments.
The statement added that the president “wants to understand clearly how exactly Andrej Babiš intends to fulfil his constitutional and legal obligations,” noting that Pavel is ready to appoint him prime minister “without delay” once the issue is resolved.
Hundreds of companies owned by Babiš—most of them under the Agrofert umbrella—operate in the Czech Republic and across Central Europe, receiving tens of millions of euros in national and EU agricultural and other subsidies, as well as government contracts.
Under Czech law, ministers are prohibited from receiving state subsidies or contracts. The anti-corruption group Transparency International has said that to eliminate the conflict of interest, Babiš must either sell his business, forgo public contracts or stay out of government.
Babiš said he “will follow the law” if appointed prime minister, but did not want to specify details in advance, calling the matter “extremely sensitive and personal,” and adding that journalists would criticise him regardless.
During his first term as head of government, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš faced multiple legal proceedings and an EU investigation into a potential conflict of interest. At the time, he temporarily transferred his assets into trust funds—but retained a measure of influence.
The courts and the European Commission deemed those measures insufficient. Last month, Babiš confirmed that he is once again the sole owner of Agrofert and said he is “taking steps” to prevent a conflict of interest, but declined to disclose details.
The billionaire populist has struck a coalition deal with two fringe right-wing parties: the hard-right, pro-Russian SPD, which advocates a referendum on leaving the EU, and the movement “Motorists for Themselves,” whose campaign focused largely on opposing the EU’s Green Deal environmental policies.
If the new cabinet is approved, it is likely to strengthen the populist bloc in Central and Eastern Europe and could complicate Western support for Ukraine—though Babiš has already called Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to assure him that the Czech position remains unchanged.
Pavel, who as president is responsible in part for foreign policy, on Wednesday demanded that the coalition agreement include a clear statement of the government’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine, including a commitment to meet NATO obligations.
The president had earlier stressed that he would not approve any ministerial nominee who might cast doubt on the Czech Republic’s commitment to the EU and NATO. In response, the SPD said it would meet this requirement by proposing independent technocrats for ministerial posts.