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Andrej Babiš, the self-styled billionaire who secured victory in last month's parliamentary vote, has declined to offload his vast business interests, while insisting he will resolve a ethical dilemma that might prevent him from taking the position of prime minister.

Stance on Corporate Empire

Babiš, whose political movement emerged victorious in the October election but lacked a majority in parliament, stated in a social media post that he would not sell his Agrofert conglomerate, which operates in farming, food production, and chemicals.

“I have repeatedly said I will never sell Agrofert. I have consistently said I will resolve the ethical issue in accordance with national and European laws,” the billionaire remarked. “This is not like selling a pastry in a bakery.”

Head of State's Requirement

The head of state, Petr Pavel, announced that the 71-year-old political figure must publicly explain how he will remove ethical conflicts arising from his business activities before being appointed premier.

The national charter “clearly mandates the head of state to take into account the potential occurrence of a ethical issue and the possibilities for its resolution” when appointing government ministers, Pavel's office explained.

The president “expects clarity in what precise manner Andrej Babiš will meet his statutory duties”, the announcement said, stating that Pavel was ready to designate Babiš as premier “without delay” once the issue was resolved.

Business Operations and Legal Issues

Babiš's numerous firms, primarily under the Agrofert umbrella, function in the nation and other central European countries, benefiting from millions of euros in national and EU agricultural and other grants, as well as government deals.

Under national legislation, cabinet members are barred from obtaining state support or agreements. The anti-corruption organization Transparency International has stated that to avoid a ethical breach, Babiš must either divest, decline public contracts, or stay out of government.

Past Tenure and Present Plans

Babiš affirmed he would “follow the laws” if appointed as premier, but did not want to detail how in advance because the matter was “an extremely sensitive and personal matter for me, and the media will invariably criticise me anyway”.

During his first term as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš encountered several court cases and an European inquiry over possible conflicts of interest. He temporarily moved his assets into trust funds, while retaining some influence over them.

A judicial body and the EU executive both determined that this was insufficient. Babiš stated last month that he was once more the sole owner of Agrofert and insisted he was “implementing measures” to prevent a ethical problem, but declined to disclose details.

Coalition Deal and International Consequences

The billionaire populist has concluded a governing pact with two rightwing fringe parties, the far-right, pro-Russian SPD, which has advocated a public vote on leaving the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has primarily campaigned against the EU’s environmental policy.

The new government, if confirmed, is expected to bolster the populist movement in the region and might challenge western support for Ukraine – even though Babiš has called Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to confirm of the nation's backing.

Pavel, who as president shares responsibility for international relations, also demanded that the government agenda add a statement on the official stance on the conflict in Ukraine, with a commitment to meeting Nato obligations.

The head of state has previously stated he would not approve any ministerial nominees who might doubt the Czech Republic’s EU and Nato commitments, a condition that the ultra-conservative party has indicated it will satisfy by nominating non-partisan experts.