"Lawmakers in the lower house of the Czech Parliament were set to decide on Thursday whether to lift Prime Minister Andrej Babis' immunity from prosecution in a $2 million fraud case involving European Union subsidies. The approval would allow Prague's Municipal Court to deal with the case and issue a verdict."
"The case centered around a farm known as the Stork's Nest, which received EU subsidies after its ownership was transferred from the Babis-owned Agrofert conglomerate to Babis' family members. Later, Agrofert again took ownership of the farm. The subsidies were meant for small and medium enterprises, meaning that Agrofert wouldn't have been eligible."
"The court had acquitted Babis twice before but an appeals court canceled those rulings, saying they did not properly assess evidence and requested the lower court issue a guilty verdict in a retrial. Babis had pleaded not guilty and said the case is clearly politically motivated."
Czech Parliament's lower house considered removing Prime Minister Andrej Babis's immunity from prosecution regarding a €2 million fraud case involving European Union subsidies. The case centers on a farm called Stork's Nest that received EU subsidies intended for small and medium enterprises after its ownership transferred from Babis's Agrofert conglomerate to family members, then returned to Agrofert. A Prague Municipal Court had acquitted Babis twice, but an appeals court canceled those rulings, claiming insufficient evidence assessment, and requested a guilty verdict in retrial. Babis maintains his innocence and characterizes the case as politically motivated. The prosecution originally sought a suspended sentence and fine against the populist billionaire, who began his third prime ministerial term in December.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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