Andrej Babis, the billionaire Czech prime minister, is brushing off the nation’s biggest protest in 30 years, when the nation rose up and toppled communism.
As many as 250,000 people rallied in Prague on Sunday, seeking to pressure Babis to resign over his business interests and concern he may meddle with the courts. The premier, who won power in 2017 on an anti-establishment platform, said he “doesn’t quite understand” why people are demonstrating. He looks likely to survive a parliamentary confidence vote this week.
Even with an estimated quarter of a million people taking to the streets against the nation’s most powerful figure, Babis can count on economic stability and generous benefits for retirees and public employees to help insulate him from dissatisfaction in the second half of his term.
It’s a contrast to the people power behind the Velvet Revolution that brought down communist rule in 1989.
Student activists argue that Babis is unfit for office because of conflict-of-interest allegations and potential charges in a fraud case involving European Union funds. They plan to hold another mass rally on Nov. 16, the eve of the 30th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution.
“I categorically disagree that either me personally, or our government, would interfere with judiciary’s independence,” Babis said on his website.
Read more: New Czech Justice Chief Faces Ire Over Fraud Probe Into Premier
The time lag between the protests is an advantage for Babis, who denounced the accusations as an attempt by his opponents to derail his political career. He has repeatedly rejected allegations of misconduct in obtaining the EU money and vowed to stay in power even if charged with fraud.
Babis won elections in 2017 with an anti-immigrant stance and by portraying himself as an antidote to the traditional political parties he labeled as incompetent and corrupt. He remains popular for his tough businesslike rhetoric and promises to improve people’s lives.
Multiple Fronts
The demonstrations began two months ago with the appointment of a new justice minister, who activists fear may try to avert a possible court trial for Babis.
Babis faces potential criminal charges over allegations that a company he once owned illegally obtained about $2 million worth of EU aid last decade. Additionally, a preliminary European Commission report found him in conflict of interest, saying he has influence over EU funds that his agriculture, media and chemical businesses may receive, even though he has put them in trusts.
Many of the protesters at Prague’s Letna park held up “Resign” signs.
“We can’t accept a prime minister who’s facing a criminal investigation and is in such a fundamental conflict of interest,” Benjamin Roll, one of the organizers, told the crowd.
--With assistance from Krystof Chamonikolas.
To contact the reporters on this story: Lenka Ponikelska in Prague at lponikelska1@bloomberg.net;Peter Laca in Prague at placa@bloomberg.net;Andrea Dudik in Prague at adudik@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Balazs Penz at bpenz@bloomberg.net, ;Andrea Dudik at adudik@bloomberg.net, Tony Czuczka, Ian Fisher
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