Czechia’s Babiš criticised over alleged alignment with pro-Russian forces

4 months ago 24

Former Czech prime minister and leader of the opposition ANO party, Andrej Babiš, has come under fire for recent political manoeuvres that critics say align him with pro-Russian interests.

The controversy erupted following the announcement of a new political alliance, “Patriots for Europe,” which Babiš unveiled with Austrian far-right leader Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz).

While Orbán continues to block EU aid to Ukraine and maintains ties with Moscow, Kickl claims that Russia and NATO are responsible for the invasion of Ukraine and that sanctions imposed against Russia constituted a violation of Austrian neutrality.

Babiš has defended the new coalition and positioned it as pro-European.

“Orbán’s visit [to Ukraine on Tuesday] demonstrates that he is a true pro-European politician, prioritising the cessation of violence and the war,” Babiš said on X.

He also spoke about the ongoing negotiations to form the “Patriots for Europe” group in the European Parliament and expressed hope that it would be launched next week.

However, these claims have been met with criticism. Veronika Vrecionová, an MEP from the ruling Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS, ECR), rejected Babiš’s portrayal of the alliance as pro-European.

“It’s amusing how desperately Babiš tries to sell this as evidence that his new group is not pro-Russian. I have not seen any shift in Fidesz or FPÖ’s stance on Ukraine aid. We will keep repeating: Patriots for Europe is actually ‘Russia, everything for you’,” Vrecionová wrote on X.

Ondřej Krutílek, another ODS MEP, called the emerging group the “Coalition for Rejecting Aid to Ukraine.” He criticised the leaders for their naive belief that stopping arms supplies to Ukraine would lead to peace. “This is a dangerously simplistic and historically ignorant position. Appeasing aggressors has never brought peace,” he argued.

Jan Farský, a newly elected MEP from the STAN (EPP) party, expressed deep concern about the alliance. “This is more dangerous than I anticipated,” he wrote on X.

According to recent media reports, the alliance could be joined by far-right parties from Italy and Portugal, namely Lega and Chega (both currently ID). However, to become an official group in the European Parliament, it must have MEPs from at least seven countries.

Czech media reported that France’s far-right Rassemblement National (ID) could join the new alliance.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)