The Czech Prime Minister is under fire. The disclosed documents raise concerns that he has not severed ties with his agricultural empire. “Festival of Hypocrisy”

Babisz's promises to completely break with Agrofert are currently being questionedeven though the Prime Minister claims that he did much more than required by law.

The leaked legal document, which outlines his new relationship with the company, describes a trust structure that removes him from day-to-day decision-making only while he is in office, and then transfers decision-making power to the family management mechanism after his political career ends. The 18-page document, dated December 17, was first published by the Czech website Seznam Zpravy. POLITICO has reviewed a copy of it.

The document states that the fund aims to ensure “independent management during the period in which [założyciel funduszu] serves as a member of the government.” After the end of this period – either as a result of Babisz leaving office or his death – the company will automatically come under “family management”.

Opposition MPs used this document as evidence that Babisz would continue to have strong personal and family connections with Agrofert, which may influence its decisions both at national and EU level.

— The news about Andrej Babis' unresolved conflict of interests is really just the proverbial icing on the cake, Pirate Party leader Olga Richterova said on Tuesday during a parliamentary debate in Prague.

— It's becoming clear that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It appears that old practices previously used when Agrofert was transferred to trust funds will be re-applied in a very similar way, she said.

Danuse Nerudova, a member of the European Parliament from the Mayors and Independents party, told POLITICO that such a solution preserves personal motivation to protect family interests. “His companies have illegally benefited from EU agricultural subsidies in the past,” she said. — This motivation doesn't disappear just because the structure has been renamed.

Danuse Nerudova in Prague, Czech Republic, January 13, 2023.MARTIN DIVISEK / PAP

Taking into account the consequences for the EU budget, the European Commission stated that it was monitoring developments and recalled the principle according to which “any person appointed in a Member State to participate in the implementation of the budget […] may not take any action that could cause its interests to conflict with those of the Union.”

POLITICO reached out to Babisz's office for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Babisz responded to Seznam Zprava's article in another newspaper. He did not deny the authenticity of the document and its references to the family's further interests, but claimed he had done nothing wrong. — What I said earlier clearly applies. I did much more than required by law. The shares in the company that I built for almost 30 years will never be returned to me, he told the Denik N newspaper.

“Festival of Hypocrisy”

When Babisz promised to withdraw from Agrofert last year, his language was unambiguous. — I have decided to irrevocably renounce the Agrofert company, he said in December. – I will never be its owner, I will have no economic connections with it and I will have no contact with it – he assured and added: – My children will receive Agrofert only after my death.

This week, Babisz reaffirmed his position, telling the Czech news agency CTK that the Agrofert shares would never come back to him and that he would not benefit from them for the rest of his life. He stated that the agreement complies with both Czech and European law, i he accused his critics of trying to deprive him of his property.

The Prime Minister had previously claimed that any conflicts would be resolved once the trust agreement came into force. He missed his deadline to complete the share transfer in early January, saying he was still waiting for approval from financial authorities in two EU countries.

David Kotora, executive director of the nonprofit Transparency International Czech Republic, said the trust “is currently an inactive shell” because there has been no transfer of shares. He added that even if launched, the fund would still not meet EU standards.

“This structure is clearly unable to meet European conflict of interest rules on the redistribution of public funds,” Kotora noted.

During Tuesday's parliamentary session, Babisz downplayed doubts about his credibility and called them a “festival of hypocrisy.”

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babisz in Brussels, December 11, 2025.Thierry Monasse/Getty Images/Getty Images

— This is not a spontaneous defense of democracy. It's political theater – he said, emphasizing that Agrofert will not receive any subsidies until the trust fund comes into force. – You invented a conflict of interest because you are unable to defeat me – he told the opposition MPs.

Lawmakers from Babis's ANO party supported him, denying allegations of unresolved conflicts of interest. In a joint statement to POLITICO, MEPs Ondrej Knotek and Klara Dostalova said the prime minister had taken steps “that go far beyond the requirements of Czech and European law.”

They emphasized that he had permanently relinquished ownership and control over Agrofert and would not benefit from this company for the rest of his life. “If this is not enough for someone, it is no longer about the essence of the matter, but about trying to constantly question it,” they added.

Economist Petr Barton, an expert on regulation and public policy, noted that Czech conflict of interest laws were never intended for politicians with business empires on the scale of Agrofert.

“The law is not intended to permanently separate politicians from their assets,” Barton pointed out. “It is intended to manage conflicts while they are in office,” he said. Promises to go further, he added, may have political value but “have no legal force.”