More than 120 thousand Czech gathered today in Wenceslas Square to protest against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The PM is accused of alleged conflicts of interest related to the misuse of EU funds.
According to the organisers the demonstration is the biggest since 1989 when mass protests emerged against the communist regime.
The protestors, representing the pro-EU parts of the Czech society, hold banners calling Babiš to resign.
Despite the fact that the ruling ANO party declares to be liberal and is an ALDE member, the Czech government is among the most Eurosceptic governments in the EU.
But, the misuse of EU funds seems more important for the European Commission at the moment.
Babiš, one of the richest men in the country, is accused by an EC auditors’ report of conflicts of interest over his relation to Agrofert, a beneficiary of considerable EU subsidies.
According to Babiš declaration the EC report is an “attack on the Czech Republic” targeting the destabilisation of the country.
Demonstrations against the Prime Minister are not rare in the Czech capital. On May some 50,000 people protested.
A new rally is planned on 23 June in Prague’s Letná Park.
David Ondráčka, the director of Transparency International in the Czech Republic, said that Babiš “cannot survive this public pressure and these EU reports. He knows that the EU budget and the Czech budget will no longer serve as an ATM where he can pick up whatever he needs. He will never surrender easily but with mounting public anger, smart opposition moves and proper institutional pressure I believe he will no longer be prime minister,” the Guardian reports.
