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Andrej Babiš, the self-proclaimed billionaire who secured victory in last month's parliamentary vote, has refused to offload his extensive business interests, while insisting he will resolve a ethical dilemma that could prevent him from taking the position of prime minister.

Position on Business Holdings

Babiš, whose ANO party emerged victorious in the October vote but did not secure a majority in parliament, declared in a online statement that he would not sell his Agrofert conglomerate, which is active in agriculture, food production, and chemicals.

“I have consistently said I will never sell Agrofert. I have repeatedly stated I will resolve the conflict of interest in compliance with Czech and EU regulations,” the billionaire commented. “This is different from selling a pastry in a bakeshop.”

President's Demand

The Czech president, Petr Pavel, announced that the 71-year-old political figure must clarify openly how he will remove ethical conflicts arising from his corporate dealings before being appointed prime minister.

The Czech constitution “explicitly requires the president to consider the potential occurrence of a conflict of interest and the possibilities for its resolution” when appointing government ministers, the presidential administration explained.

The head of state “wants it to be clear in what specific way Andrej Babiš will fulfil his statutory duties”, the announcement said, noting that Pavel was prepared to designate Babiš as prime minister “without delay” once the issue was settled.

Business Operations and Legal Issues

Babiš's several hundred companies, mostly under the Agrofert umbrella, operate in the nation and other central European states, receiving substantial funds in domestic and European farming and other subsidies, as well as public contracts.

Under national legislation, government ministers cannot receiving state support or contracts. The ethics watchdog Transparency International has indicated that to prevent a conflict of interest, Babiš must either sell, decline government deals, or stay out of public office.

Previous Tenure and Current Intentions

Babiš said he would “follow the regulations” if appointed as prime minister, but declined to detail how in beforehand because the matter was “an highly personal and personal matter for me, and the media will invariably criticise me regardless”.

During his initial tenure as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš faced multiple court cases and an European inquiry over possible ethical issues. He temporarily moved his holdings into trust funds, while retaining some influence over them.

A judicial body and the European Commission both determined that this did not suffice. Babiš confirmed last month that he was again the exclusive proprietor of Agrofert and insisted he was “taking steps” to avoid a ethical problem, but refused to reveal specifics.

Governing Agreement and International Consequences

The wealthy politician has signed a governing pact with two rightwing fringe parties, the ultra-conservative, Russia-friendly SPD, which has called for a public vote on leaving the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has mainly campaigned against the EU’s Green Deal.

The new government, if confirmed, is expected to strengthen the populist bloc in the region and might challenge backing from Western nations for Ukraine – although Babiš has called Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to assure him of Czech support.

Pavel, who as president shares responsibility for foreign policy, also demanded that the government agenda add a statement on the official stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine, with a commitment to meeting Nato obligations.

The president has previously said he would not approve any ministerial nominees who might doubt the Czech Republic’s international alliances, a requirement that the far-right SPD has indicated it will satisfy by proposing non-partisan experts.