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A substantial leak of confidential financial documents appears to link the Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babis to a 15 million euro offshore deal to finance a property purchase in the south of France. Leaked documents from the Panama Papers show how Babis in 2009 funneled 15 million euros via a series of secret loans to three offshore companies he himself had established. The funds were then used to purchase a chateau and neighbouring villa in Mougins, France, barely 20 minutes’ drive from Cannes on the Côte d’Azur. The loans were made from the British Virgin Islands-based firm Blakey Finance Limited...
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Czech lawmakers have voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in a move that leaves him exposed to prosecution over accusations he unlawfully took advantage of European funds. The vote, which was passed by 111 deputies in favour versus 69 against, comes three days after his minority government was forced to resign after it lost a vote of confidence in parliament. Mr. Babiš, 63, a billionaire and second richest man in the Czech Republic according to Forbes magazine, stands accused of fraud concerning the construction of a hotel complex and conference center called the "Stork’s...
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The Czech government has published an extract of a report by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) about its investigation into Prime Minister Andrej Babiš for EU funds fraud. Only three paragraphs of the document, which is thought to be about 50 pages long, has been made public by the Department of Finance. The Ministry said that the document could not be released in its entirety because the Stork’s Nest case was still under police investigation. Eleven people have already been indicted in the case, including Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and ANO Vice-President Jaroslav Faltýnek. Babiš stands accused of illegally benefiting...
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As the war in Ukraine unfolds with unforeseeable outcomes, Germany has surprised the world by doing a political U-turn, undoing decades of established policy dogma with the announcement to be investing €100 billion into its military, along with sending weapons to Ukraine. The about-face is a wake-up call for Berlin that Europe’s geopolitical conditions require strength and deterrence in the face of unprecedented Russian aggression. However, for Germany there’s another, rather embarrassing side to the conflict: the enduring legacy of former chancellor Gerhard Schröder and the impact his cozy ties to Russia may or may not play a role in...
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The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Moldovan authorities, and in favour of investigative media outlet RISE Moldova after the latter was sued for defamation. The suit was brought against an article alleging that the Moldovan Socialist Party’s 2016 presidential election campaign received offshore financing from Russia. The Socialist Party leader, Igor Dodon, secured the Presidency that same year. “The European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights,” the court said in a press release. RISE Moldova was also awarded...
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Leaked documents from the Panama Papers have directed attention to Bosnian engineering firm EnergoInvest in relation to the electricity interconnection line built between Albania and Kosovo. Ten years in the making, the project was of huge strategic importance to Albania and majority-Albanian Kosovo. The 241 kilometer power line lay the foundations for Kosovo’s energy independence from Serbia following the two countries’ separation in 2008, and the formation of a new regional energy block. Even so, allegations of corruption saw the tendering process for the Albania section of the line delayed from 2011 to 2014. In April 2014, Albania’s Transmission System...
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A man opened fire in the University Hospital of Ostrava, in the east of the Czech Republic on Tuesday morning, killing six people, before committing suicide. Four people were killed on the spot and two others, injured, unfortunately died too," said Prime Minister Andrej Babis on public television. "It's a disaster, I absolutely do not understand the motive of this young man." Czech media reported that the attacker was wearing a red jacket and opened fire at one of the hospital's ambulances. Police initially broadcast the photo of another man they considered the alleged perpetrator of the shooting, later stating...
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The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is “deliberately opaque, grossly undermines the European Union’s environmental goals and is warped by corruption and self-dealing”, according to a New York Times report based on a nine-month investigation into abuses of the system in Central and Eastern Europe. The newspaper criticised the fact that the subsidies, which account for about 40 percent of the EU budget, have long benefited wealthy oligarchs as well as the small farmers they're intended for. The system, which apportions funds according to the size of the farms invites legal forms of corruption, the Times said. As an example,...
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A Czech prosecutor has suspended a four-year investigation into corruption charges against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, saying he has changed his mind about the case, but giving no further details, reports Czech news website Denník N. Babiš had been accused by the EU's Anti-fraud office of embezzling about 2 million euros from community funds into his privately owned conference centre. A spokesman for the Czech Public Ministry has said that prosecutor Jaroslav Šaroch "has sent his final decision, in which he has changed his mind." It will now be up to senior prosecutor Pavel Zeman to determine if Šaroch's decision...
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In the Czech Republic, thousands of demonstrators have protested for the third week against the appointment of new Justice Minister Marie Benešová. Protesters - and the opposition - fear that Benešová could block ongoing legal proceedings against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš for alleged fraud against European subsidies. Mr Babiš, 63, the second richest man in the Czech Republic, stands accused of fraud concerning the construction of a hotel complex and conference centre called the “Stork’s Nest”, located some 60 km south of Prague. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has alleged that Babiš intentionally separated the “Stork’s Nest” from the rest...
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