On 4 May, a Czech court found MEP Jana Nagyová, a former associate of far-right Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, guilty of fraud, resulting in a three-year suspended sentence and a fine. Babiš, who was also a defendant in the €1.7 million fraud case related to European Union subsidies, could not be sentenced because the lower house of Parliament rejected in March a motion to lift his immunity from prosecution.
Babiš, a billionaire, began his third term as prime minister in December and has characterised the case as “clearly politically motivated.” As a result of the motion’s rejection, he is only eligible to face trial after his term concludes in 2029.
Nagyová is currently a member of the European Parliament, which has lifted her immunity. The Municipal Court in Prague levied a fine of 500,000 koruna (approximately €20,500) against her. The ruling is not final, as she retains the right to appeal.
The case revolved around a farm known as the Stork’s Nest, which was granted EU subsidies following a transfer of ownership from Babiš’s Agrofert conglomerate to his family members. Subsequently, the farm’s ownership reverted to Agrofert. Given that the subsidies were intended for small and medium-sized enterprises, Agrofert would not have qualified. The conglomerate ultimately returned the subsidy.
Babiš returned to power following a significant electoral victory in October with his ANO (YES) movement, forming a governing coalition with two smaller political factions: the right-wing extremist Freedom and Direct Democracy party, which has a strong anti-migrant stance, and the far-right Motorists for Themselves party. The coalition’s agenda includes a pivot away from supporting Ukraine and a rejection of key EU policies.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
