Billionaire ex-prime minister and leader of the Czech populist party ANO, which won the October general election, Andrej Babiš announced he is to dispose of his food and agro-chemical conglomerate Agrofert in order to solve his conflict of interests.

ANO signed a coalition agreement with far right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and anti-green and Eurosceptic Motorists for Themselves in November, but the country’s liberal President Petr Pavel insisted Babiš solves his conflict of interests stemming from his ownership ties to Agrofert before appointing him as the next PM.

“I have promised I would solve my conflict of interests in a way so there are no doubts I comply with all the requirements of the Czech and European law,” Babiš stated in a video post on Instagram, shared by Czech Radio (CRo) and other media.

Babiš is to place Agrofert shares into a blind trust over which neither he, nor his family members, nor Agrofert managers, will have any control, and which will be under independent oversight.  

He stressed that he will “never again own” Agrofert, and “will have no economic ties with it and will not be in any contact with it,” adding that he made the decision following “following an agreement with the president of the republic” including that “I would present the solution publicly”.

As bne IntelliNews reported in November, Pavel signaled he might not appoint Babiš as the next PM if his conflict of interests was not solved, referring to a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling, which states that the president is required to prevent potential conflict of interests before making cabinet appointments.

Pavel welcomed the announcement made by Babiš, stating in his X (formerly Twitter) account that “I appreciate the clear and understandable way with which Andrej Babiš abided by our agreement and publicly announced the way of solving his conflict of interests.”

Pavel added that “I will appoint him [Babis] as the prime minister on Tuesday December 9 at 9 am.”

The emerging ANO-led ruling coalition wields a comfortable parliamentary majority of 108 in the new parliament, but environmental portfolio nominee Filip Turek also faces objections from Pavel, who said he would reject Turek following a scandal over his racist, sexist and homophobic online comments.

Czech environmentalists object to the Motorists, led by climate change denier Petr Macinka, being in charge of the Ministry of Environment, as do hundreds of Czech scientists who addressed an open letter in protest to Pavel after news emerged that Macinka himself could be in charge of the portfolio.