Lany, Central Bohemia, Oct 22 (CTK) – The Chinese firm CEFC that invests in the Czech Republic is not much transparent, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said after a meeting with President Milos Zeman Saturday, adding that it was lobbied for by Social Democracy-linked people.
Babis said he and Zeman exchanged opinions on relations with China. He said he does not comment on Chinese investments in the Czech Republic and does not assess Czech investments in China.
Babis said his and Zeman’s opinions differ. That is why Zeman promised him a list of Chinese investments worth a total of 50 billion crowns, he added.
Many investments are backed by the huge Chinese firm CEFC, whose representative for Europe is Jaroslav Tvrdik, a former Social Democrat (CSSD) politician.
“I naturally do not consider the CEFC group much transparent, it is a group which was lobbied for by people linked to the CSSD and which invests in private companies. This means that this brings no profit to the Czech Republic,” Babis said.
CEFC has stakes in Lobkowicz Group, Travel Service, it has invested in Medea Group and Empresa Media and in real estate and it owns the Slavia Praha football club.
Babis said if Chinese firms invested in firms that are on the brink of bankruptcy, he would assess this positively.
“I naturally expected that the Chinese (People’s) Republic will build some factories and employ our people, but it may still be too a short time,” Babis said.
He said Zeman recommended him to meet the Chinese ambassador to the Czech Republic which, he said, is going to do.
($1=24.820 crowns)
