Updates: 09/30/2021 10:07 AM
Released: 30.09.2021, 06:58
Černošice (near Prague) / Prague – The Černošice Municipal Authority fined Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) CZK 250,000 for a misdemeanor against the Conflict of Interest Act for controlling the media. This is exactly what Václav Knotek, who represents the premiere in this administrative proceeding, said this. He added that they would appeal. They can appeal to the superior Central Bohemian Regional Authority. The Černošice office stated that this was a “persistent offense”. According to Babiš, the decision is illegal and violates his fundamental rights, he told ČTK.
The Černošice office, which is an office with extended powers for Průhonice, where the prime minister lives, is conducting infringement proceedings against Babiš due to the ownership of the media companies Londa and Mafra. Grandma rejects allegations of breaking the law. He claims that by investing Agrofert in trust funds, he lost influence over the holding and all the companies involved in it.
The Prime Minister is convinced that the decision of the municipal office in Černošice is illegal. “I have been twice investigated for the same act (same thing). This is a violation of my fundamental rights,” he told ČTK today. Grandmother must insist that he fulfills all obligations arising from the law. “This is just a political game for my competitors,” the prime minister said, adding that he would certainly appeal against the office’s decision.
The Černošice Municipal Office regularly publishes information on the course of the proceedings on its own the web. The last update is from September 22. One of the Černoš officials, who did not wish to be appointed, told ČTK today, if necessary, the office would still comment on the case, but according to him there is no reason for it yet. “I don’t think we have anything to comment on, we still decide by default as we should,” he added.
In the previous period of the proceedings, the municipal authority imposed a fine of 200,000 crowns on Babiš in 2019. However, the Central Bohemian Regional Authority, as the appellate body, stopped the proceedings; according to him, the conflict of interests was not proven. In January this year, the anti-corruption organization Transparency International (TI) turned to the Černošice office again, asking for new evidence in the matter. Černošice therefore initiated a new misdemeanor proceeding. Last week, the office announced that it had decided on the matter, but did not publish the content. “The Černošice Municipal Authority is not entitled to publish the actual content of the decision,” he said on the website. TI is holding a briefing in Prague today at 1.30 pm for the decision of the Černošice Municipal Authority.