Prague, March 16 (CTK) – The Czech government coalition council did not agree yesterday on a joint procedure at the Chamber of Deputies’ extraordinary session on June 23 to discuss the Capi hnizdo case of Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO), the ruling parties’ heads said after the meeting.
They will resume the debate on Tuesday, they said adding that they support the maintenance of the government coalition of the Social Democrats (CSSD), ANO and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).
The KDU-CSL supports the approval of the extraordinary session’s programme, while ANO is against it for the time being.
“We did not make any conclusion on how to approach the extraordinary session. We explained our stances to one another and we will continue the negotiations after we discuss the stances in the deputy groups next Tuesday,” CSSD deputy group head Roman Sklenak said.
He said he has formulated two questions about Capi hnizdo (Stork’s Nest Farm) firm. The first question focuses on who owned the firm at the time when it gained a European subsidy and the second why property transfers were made afterwards.
“The minister (Babis) promised to answer the questions in the Chamber of Deputie in a week [on Wednesday, March 23],” Sklenak said.
The Capi hnizdo firm belonged to Babis’s Agrofert concern until 2007 or 2008. Afterwards, it changed the form of ownership and it was not possible to track its owner. Thanks to this, it got a European subsidy of more than 50 million crowns which a firm from the Agrofert concern could not gain. It observed this subsidy condition for some time and later, it returned to Babis’ concern.
Some opposition lawmakers consider the procedure a subsidy fraud and they have convoked the extraordinary session.
Babis dismissed yesterday the speculations about that he or his firm acted expediently, but he will make a big statement on the case on March 23 only.
He said at it, he will release the former owner of the farm at the time when the application for the European subsidy was made.
The programme of the extraordinary session will be supported by the opposition TOP 09, the Civic Democrats (ODS) and the Dawn with the Bloc Against Islam, while the Communists (KSCM) will not support it.
The KDU-CSL deputies may also support the programme.
Some in the CSSD say Babis should clearly explain the case this week. Unless he does so, the CSSD could vote for the programme of the extraordinary session.
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD) also wants Babis to explain the case clearly. The CSSD coins the slogan “the state is no firm” in its campaign before the autumn regional election.
