Prague, 21 may 2019

ČT24 / Facebook

Prague, 21 may 2019

ČT24 / Facebook

About 50 thousand people took on Tuesday participated in a rally for independent justice on Wenceslas square in the centre of the Czech capital. It voiced demands for the resignation from the post of Prime Minister, leader of political movement ANO (“Action of disgruntled citizens”), billionaire Andrew Babish and his nearest colleague’s beresovoy, which occupies the post of Minister of justice.

The meeting lasted about two hours, reports TASS. The participants filled more than half of Wenceslas square, which is one of the largest in the Czech Republic.

Among the protesters were politicians and MPs from the opposition parties. In front of them was the Catholic Bishop of Prague Vaclav Maly, cultural figures, civil activists and athletes. They accused the Prime Minister of abuse of office, corruption and cooperation with special services of socialist Czechoslovakia (1948-1989). Babish is also suspected of conflict of interest, as it retained control of his business Empire, which formally govern the two funds.

The Minister of justice, according to critics of Babish, covers his actions and “should protect him from criminal liability.” In particular, it voted against the deprivation of Babish immunity at the request of the police.

In the hands of the demonstrators were posters with slogans: “Babish behind bars!”, “I don’t want the informer at the head of the government!”, “Down with the crook of the premiers!”, “We demand to ensure the independence of justice!”, “The Czech Republic is not a firm of Babish!” Some of the posters contained inscriptions insulting to the President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman, supporting the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, according to TASS.

In Prague held a rally for the independence of justice became the fourth and largest in the last month. In previous protests, according to organizing their civil Association “a Million moments for democracy,” took part from 15 to 20 thousand people.

The Prime Minister himself told reporters that the organizers of the protests are populist methods and seek public attention before the upcoming in the Republic on Friday and Saturday, the elections to the European Parliament.

“I think this [protest] is a farce. The rally was planned before the elections to the European Parliament. Our political opponents are trying to set voters against us (ANO and is a member of the government coalition of the Czech social democratic party, which in Parliament rely on the support of the Communist party. – Approx. TASS), “said Andrew Babish.

Next week’s protests will be held across the Czech Republic. The organizers of the rally also urged the Babish to prove his innocence in an open discussion on television, reports The Public”s Radio.

In April the police has finished investigation of criminal case on fraud with subsidies, the defendant is Babish. It lasted almost three years. The investigation recommended that the Prosecutor’s office to indict. Almost simultaneously, the resignation of the Minister of justice, Jan Knezinek, whose place was taken by Maria benešov.

According to investigators, attackers by fraud stole two million Euro subsidies from EU funds allocated to support small and medium-sized businesses. The money settled on the accounts of the company “stork’s Nest”, a shell whose owner was the son of the Prime Minister from his first marriage Andrew Babish Jr. In fact, the allocated funds went to the holding family of Andrew Babish Agrofert, which has 250 companies and applies to a large business.

The offspring of high-ranking official said earlier that was allegedly stolen and taken to the Crimea. Thus, according to one version, Babish senior tried to prevent the investigation.

Andrew Babish Sr. categorically rejects the charges against him. He calls them a provocation of political opponents who seek its elimination from politics. This view is supported by the Czech President Milos Zeman.

In the Czech Republic last year, has repeatedly held mass demonstrations and rallies to demand the resignation from the post of Prime Minister Andrew Babish.