The EPP Group plans to initiate a new anti-oligarch law to assure a fairer distribution of EU money, and criticises the double role of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš who negotiates the multiannual EU budget on behalf of his country and at the same time, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of EU funds in the Czech Republic.
“The combination of enormous economic and political power on one hand is against EU financial rules. A Prime Minister cannot decide on the amounts of EU funding in Brussels and on how this money is distributed in his country while at the same time being the beneficial owner of a big company that is receiving it. It is time to define clear guidelines on how to deal with conflicts of interest of high profile politicians”, said Monika Hohlmeier MEP, Chairwoman of the Budgetary Control Committee, on the occasion of a plenary debate on the case of Andrej Babiš’ conflict of interest.
Hohlmeier pointed out that Andrej Babiš’ Agrofert company is one of the biggest Czech recipients of agricultural funds: “EU subsidies should benefit the vast majority of EU citizens. What we see in the Czech Republic and some other Member States is that a couple of oligarchs profit from them at the expense of Czech and other European taxpayers. This is why the EPP Group will initiate a new anti-oligarch law on how a fairer distribution of EU money can be guaranteed.”
“Andrej Babiš points out correctly that he is the only Prime Minister to be debated in plenary. It is the first time we have heard of such a case on this scale. This is why the European Parliament, the protector of taxpayers’ money, must deal with his case. Prime Minister Babiš should either stop receiving EU money or stay out of the EU budget negotiations,” added Tomáš Zdechovský MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on budgetary control.
