A new right-wing coalition government led by populist businessman Andrej Babiš was sworn in in the Czech Republic on the 15th of December, and could join forces with Hungary and Slovakia to oppose support for Ukraine, writes Politico.
The appointment of the government ends weeks of uncertainty over whether Czech President Petr Pavel would confirm Babis as prime minister. Pavel in early December, after Babis pledged to address a potential conflict of interest related to his former agricultural giant Agrofert, which is also a recipient of significant European Union subsidies.
Babis’ return to the prime ministership, which the businessman previously held from 2017 to 2021, poses new headaches for Europe as it tries to help war-torn Ukraine. Over the weekend, Babis spoke out against a proposal to provide Kiev with a loan from frozen Russian assets, joining countries that have already opposed such a source of funding.
Babis said in a Facebook post on the 13th of December that the European Commission must find other ways to help Ukraine. He stressed that
Czech wallets are empty and every crown should be dedicated to Czech citizens.
The businessman’s previous term in office was marked by clashes with Brussels over conflicts of interest, while simultaneously holding one of the most important positions in the country and running a company that is the largest recipient of EU funds in the Czech Republic. Since then, Babis has steered his party towards the right, and has threatened to stop a Prague-led initiative that has allowed the delivery of large amounts of ammunition to Ukraine.
Babis’ party will have nine ministerial posts in the newly formed cabinet.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Pavel promised to closely monitor how the newly appointed government protects democratic values, including the independence of the media, the judiciary and the state security forces. Babis has previously raised concerns about media independence when planning reforms for public broadcasters. The Czech president also stressed that the country’s main security and economic guarantees are rooted in its membership of the EU and NATO. He added that this is why membership in them must be viewed responsibly, and that we must be constructive members, not rejecters of ideas.
Read also: Babiš to be confirmed as Czech Prime Minister; conflict of interest resolved
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