During a mission to Prague to shed light on possible conflicts of interest involving Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, the six members of the Control Committee led by Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany) delivered troubling reports (see EUROPE 12267/4).
We have identified “some problems in the legal interpretation of the concept of conflict of interest and in the distribution of EU funds to certain projects where there is a possible conflict of interest”, the committee chair said in a statement.
She also said she had heard “troubling reports from civil society about irregularities in the use of EU funds in the Czech Republic”. She went on to say: “We heard from small farmers who shared another daily reality about the use of EU subsidies--farms getting several subsidies for one business”.
Delegation member Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, Germany) referred to “documents from the Czech ministries containing clear instructions not to check on potential conflicts of interest related to Agrofert”, a company owned by the Czech Prime Minister that received EU funds. While the European Commission “froze” outgoing funds to Agrofert, it is unclear whether the Czech government has done the same with its own national funds, he added.
According to Mr Freund, the situation is increasingly untenable for Mr Babiš, who continues to participate in the European Council negotiations on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework.
The European Parliament plans to vote on 11 March on a resolution on the “reopening of proceedings against the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic for misuse of EU funds and potential conflicts of interest”.
According to reports in the Czech media, Andrej Babiš has decided not to meet the members of the Committee on Budgetary Control who are visiting the Czech capital. Parliament called in January for an end to the conflict of interest involving Mr Babiš, who is said to have enriched himself with EU agricultural and cohesion funds (see EUROPE 12393/5). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)