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Andrej Babiš, the self-proclaimed billionaire that secured victory in the recent parliamentary vote, has refused to sell his extensive business interests, while insisting he will resolve a conflict of interest that might block him from taking the position of prime minister.

Position on Business Holdings

Babiš, whose political movement emerged victorious in the autumn election but lacked a majority in parliament, declared in a social media post that he will not sell his Agrofert group, which operates in farming, food production, and chemical industries.

“I have consistently stated I will never sell Agrofert. I have repeatedly said I will resolve the ethical issue in accordance with Czech and EU regulations,” the billionaire remarked. “This is not like selling a roll in a bakeshop.”

Head of State's Demand

The Czech president, Petr Pavel, announced that the elderly political figure must publicly explain how he will eliminate ethical conflicts stemming from his corporate dealings before being appointed prime minister.

The Czech constitution “explicitly requires the president to take into account the possible emergence of a conflict of interest and the ways to address it” when selecting cabinet members, Pavel's office noted.

The president “wants it to be clear in what specific way Andrej Babiš will meet his constitutional and legal obligations”, the announcement added, noting that Pavel was ready to designate Babiš as prime minister “immediately” once the matter was resolved.

Corporate Activities and Legal Concerns

Babiš's several hundred firms, mostly under the Agrofert umbrella, function in the nation and other central European countries, receiving millions of euros in domestic and European farming and other grants, as well as public contracts.

Under Czech law, government ministers are barred from obtaining state support or agreements. The ethics watchdog Transparency International has stated that to prevent a ethical breach, Babiš must either divest, decline government deals, or not enter public office.

Past Tenure and Current Plans

Babiš said he would “abide by the laws” if appointed as prime minister, but declined to detail how in advance because the matter was “an extremely sensitive and personal matter for me, and journalists will invariably question me anyway”.

During his initial tenure as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš faced multiple legal battles and an European inquiry over possible conflicts of interest. He placed his holdings into trust funds, while keeping certain control 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 maintained he was “implementing measures” to prevent a conflict of interest, but refused to disclose specifics.

Governing Deal and International Consequences

The billionaire populist has concluded a governing pact with two rightwing fringe parties, the ultra-conservative, pro-Russian SPD, which has called for a public vote on exiting the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has mainly opposed the EU’s environmental policy.

The new government, if approved, is likely to strengthen the populist bloc in central and eastern Europe and could strain western support for Ukraine – although Babiš has contacted Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to assure him of Czech support.

Pavel, who as president shares responsibility for foreign policy, also demanded that the government agenda include a declaration on the official stance on the conflict in Ukraine, including a pledge to fulfilling Nato obligations.

The head of state has earlier said he would not endorse any cabinet candidates who might doubt the nation's international alliances, a condition that the ultra-conservative party has indicated it will meet by proposing non-partisan experts.