On Wednesday 17 April, the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament severely criticised the European Liberal family's continued support for Andrej Babiš, while the Czech Prime Minister and his wife are implicated in a fraud investigation involving European funds (see EUROPE 12151/20).
“The efforts of Guy Verhofstadt, Emmanuel Macron and the ALDE Group to protect their Czech ally under any circumstances are pathetic and dangerous”, criticised Eva Joly (Greens/EFA, France). And she added: “It is time for political groups such as ALDE with Mr Babiš, the S&D with the Romanian government or the EPP with Mr Orbán to stop protecting their allies in violation of fundamental European values”.
On the same note, Germany's Ska Keller considered it “totally inconceivable” that a person found guilty of fraud involving European funds should continue to sit on the European Council.
The Czech Public Prosecutor must now decide whether or not to bring criminal charges against the Prime Minister and six other people, who would face between 5 and 10 years in prison.
On Monday 15 April, Budgets Commissioner Günther Oettinger admitted to the European Parliament Committee on Budgetary Control that the European Commission had only addressed the potential conflict of interest involving Mr Babiš from the beginning of this year. The Greens/EFA Group demands they get to the bottom of this matter before the European elections. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)