Czech politicians have voted to strip former Prime Minister Andrej Babis of parliamentary immunity. The ex-politician is suspected of fraud in receiving subsidies from EU funds in the amount of 2 million euros by the Stork’s Nest company.
Of the 176 deputies in the lower house of the Czech parliament, 111 legislators voted in favor of lifting immunity. Babis is likely to face trial for alleged fraud.
According to Al Jazeera, investigators suspect Babis of having transferred the Stork Nest farm out of his Agrofert holding in 2007 to make it eligible for an EU subsidy worth about 2 million euros.
Later, the Stork’s Nest Farm company was again included in the agricultural holding. In 2018, the subsidy was returned to the EU.
Babis has denied any allegations.
– I can declare with clear conscience that I have never done anything unlawful, – Babis said before the parliament meeting.
Andrej Babis served as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 2017 to 2021.
