Shorouk Express
“We are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO, of course,” Babiš said at the press conference on Saturday following the results. “The EU has 27 members. Ukraine is not a member of the EU. We want, obviously, to talk about Europe, about European citizens, about the energy prices, the migration pact,” he added.
Babiš, together with Orbán, is a co-founder of the far-right Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. Several Patriots for Europe members, including Orbán and France’s Jordan Bardella, congratulated Babiš on his victory.
“Truth has prevailed! Andrej Babiš has won the Czech parliamentary elections with a convincing lead,” Orbán said in a post on X. “A big step for the Czech Republic, good news for Europe. Congratulations, Andrej!”
5. Babiš is still charged with alleged fraud
Babiš is currently awaiting a verdict from the Prague District Court over whether he defrauded the EU out of €2 million so that Agrofert could receive subsidies intended for medium-sized businesses.
The case hinges on whether the “Stork’s Nest” farm was carved out of Agrofert to make it look like a smaller, independent business. Unless new evidence is found, the court is obliged to take its lead from Prague’s High Court, which in June overturned an earlier ruling that had originally acquitted Babiš of wrongdoing.
Chances are that the lower chamber of parliament will have to vote on stripping Babiš of parliamentary immunity.
