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Andrej Babiš, the self-styled billionaire who won the recent parliamentary vote, has declined to sell his extensive business interests, while asserting he will address a conflict of interest that might prevent him from taking the position of prime minister.

Stance on Corporate Empire

Babiš, whose ANO party came first in the autumn vote but lacked a majority in parliament, declared in a social media post that he would not sell his Agrofert conglomerate, which is active in farming, food processing, and chemicals.

“I have repeatedly stated I will never sell Agrofert. I have repeatedly stated I will address the ethical issue in compliance with national and EU regulations,” the billionaire commented. “This is not like selling a pastry in a bakeshop.”

Head of State's Demand

The head of state, Petr Pavel, stated that the 71-year-old political figure must clarify openly how he will eliminate conflicts of interest arising from his business activities before being appointed prime minister.

The Czech constitution “clearly mandates the head of state to take into account the possible emergence of a conflict of interest and the possibilities for its resolution” when appointing cabinet members, the presidential administration noted.

The head of state “expects clarity in what specific way Andrej Babiš will meet his constitutional and legal obligations”, the statement added, noting that Pavel was ready to appoint Babiš as premier “without delay” once the issue was resolved.

Business Operations and Regulatory Issues

Babiš's several hundred companies, mostly under the Agrofert group, operate in the Czech Republic and other regional states, receiving millions of euros in national and EU farming and other grants, as well as public contracts.

Under Czech law, government ministers are barred from obtaining public aid or agreements. The anti-corruption organization Transparency International has stated that to prevent a ethical breach, Babiš must either divest, decline government deals, or stay out of public office.

Past Tenure and Present Intentions

Babiš affirmed he would “abide by the regulations” if appointed as premier, but did not want to explain how in advance because the matter was “an extremely sensitive and private affair for me, and journalists will always criticise me anyway”.

During his initial tenure as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš encountered multiple court cases and an EU investigation over potential conflicts of interest. He temporarily moved his assets into fiduciary arrangements, while keeping some influence over them.

A court and the European Commission both determined that this did not suffice. Babiš stated recently that he was once more the exclusive proprietor of Agrofert and insisted he was “taking steps” to prevent a conflict of interest, but declined to reveal specifics.

Governing Deal and International Implications

The billionaire populist has concluded a governing pact with two minor right-leaning groups, the ultra-conservative, pro-Russian SPD, which has advocated a public vote on exiting the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has primarily campaigned against the EU’s Green Deal.

The new government, if approved, is likely to bolster the populist bloc in central and eastern Europe and could challenge western support for Ukraine – even though Babiš has contacted Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to confirm of the nation's backing.

Pavel, who as head of state has a role for international relations, also demanded that the government agenda add a declaration on the official stance on the conflict in Ukraine, with a commitment to meeting alliance duties.

The head of state has earlier said he would not approve any ministerial nominees who might doubt the Czech Republic’s international alliances, a condition that the far-right SPD has indicated it will meet by proposing non-partisan experts.