Czech lawmakers lift immunity of former PM Babis over fraud

Lawmakers in the lower house of the Czech Parliament have agreed to lift former Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ immunity from prosecution in a fraud case involving European Union subsidies

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Lawmakers in the lower house of the Czech Parliament agreed Thursday to lift former Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ immunity from prosecution in a fraud case involving European Union subsidies.

The approval allows prosecutors to decide whether Babis should be indicted for his alleged involvement in the $2-million fraud. Czech police have repeatedly recommended Babis' indictment.

It wasn’t immediately clear when prosecutors would complete their review of the case. Babis, a populist billionaire, denies any wrongdoing and has said the allegations against him were politically motivated.

The allegations involve a farm that received EU subsidies after its ownership was transferred from the Babis-owned Agrofert conglomerate of around 250 companies to Babis’ family members. Later, Agrofert again took ownership of the farm.

The subsidies were meant for medium- and small-sized businesses, and Agrofert wouldn’t have been eligible for them.

Lawmakers twice before lifted Babis’ immunity from prosecution in the case. The prosecutors had to ask them to do it again following October’s parliamentary election.

Babis’ ANO (YES) political movement lost the Czech Republic's 2021 election. A coalition of five parties formed a new government, and ANO ended up in opposition.