Babiš Casts Doubt on Independence of Czech Courts at Voter Meeting

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, speaking with a voter in early September, questioned the independence of the Czech judiciary while discussing the "Stork's Nest" case, in which parliamentary immunity shields him from criminal prosecution.

A recording of the exchange, now circulating on social media, surfaced on platform X via the account Kecy&Politika. The man who asked the question reminded Babiš of his own words posted on Facebook back in 2017, when the politician called MPs' immunity "completely unnecessary and outdated," arguing it should only cover statements made inside parliament, since "MPs are not superhumans."

Babiš Invokes Zeman's Famous Line

Reminded of his earlier stance, the prime minister fell back on a well-known phrase coined by former President Miloš Zeman. "As Zeman used to say: only a fool never changes his mind. But back then I didn't yet know that there's a mafia here that puts people behind bars to order. That's why I changed my opinion," said Babiš, who served as deputy prime minister from 2014 to 2017 before heading the government from 2017 to 2021.

The prime minister described the "Stork's Nest" case as a "political trial," claiming that the judge had essentially "acted like a prosecutor, the way things used to be done." According to him, throughout Czech history parliament has stripped roughly 22 MPs of immunity for prosecution, and he "understands where this question is heading." Babiš also claimed that the prosecution of Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD) was likewise politically motivated. "Of course our judiciary is independent, but there are also judges who rule without evidence and in defiance of a first-instance court's decision," the prime minister said.

Voter Clarifies His Question — Prime Minister Grows Flustered

The man who had posed the question clarified that he was asking about immunity as a general principle, not about specific names. "You're the one who brought up those names. My question was general: if immunity is meant to protect politicians from bad court rulings, why doesn't it protect ordinary citizens too?" the resident of Havířov continued.

The question visibly threw Babiš off balance. "Well, because... honestly, I don't quite understand the question," the prime minister replied, adding that parliamentary immunity has always existed. Still, the ANO movement leader admitted that if someone wants to abolish it, a debate on the subject is certainly possible.

What Is Known About the "Stork's Nest" Case

The case has dragged on for years and involves Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his former adviser Jana Nagyová. Both have been charged with subsidy fraud and damaging the EU's financial interests over a 50-million-crown grant received by the "Stork's Nest" farm.

In August 2026, Prague's High Court delivered a final ruling confirming European Parliament member Nagyová's guilt, upholding her three-year suspended sentence with a five-year probation period and a fine of 500,000 crowns. According to the court, Nagyová, together with Babiš, took steps to secure a European subsidy for the farm that it was not formally entitled to receive.

Criminal proceedings against Babiš himself are currently suspended: in March 2026, the Chamber of Deputies refused to strip him of immunity for prosecution, and as long as his parliamentary immunity remains in place, the case cannot move forward. The farm received a subsidy intended for small and medium-sized enterprises, despite being linked to the large Agrofert holding company owned by Babiš. According to the prosecution, the company was formally transferred to anonymous shareholders but in fact remained under Agrofert's control.

Source: novinky.cz