Prague High Court chairman discusses Babiš's remarks about the courts with justice minister

The chairman of the Prague High Court, Dörfl, held talks with Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc over Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's high-profile statements, in which he has repeatedly questioned the independence of the Czech judiciary in recent days. The meeting took place on Friday, September 25, and was described by the court as open and constructive.

"It was said at the meeting that criticism of the courts is certainly possible. At the same time, the court chairman stressed that criticism should be substantive and well-argued," the court said following the discussion.

Judges and prosecutors demand evidence

In recent days, Babiš has repeatedly claimed that the independence of the Czech judicial system is in question, suggesting that criminal prosecutions can supposedly be "ordered" in Czechia. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers have pushed back against such statements — they have demanded that the prime minister back up his words with evidence and said they intend to seek a personal meeting with the head of government.

On Friday, Babiš did not retract his words: he again called the "Stork's Nest" case, in which he himself is implicated, a "case made to order."

The Stork's Nest case: what it meant for Nagyová

The Stork's Nest case has been dragging on for years and is linked to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his former adviser, now a member of the European Parliament, Jana Nagyová. Both were charged with subsidy fraud and damaging the EU's financial interests over a 50-million-crown subsidy awarded to the Stork's Nest farm.

In August 2026, the Prague High Court issued a final verdict finding Nagyová guilty, upholding a 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, sought to have the Stork's Nest farm receive a 50-million-crown European subsidy, even though it was not entitled to it.

The criminal case against Babiš himself is currently suspended: in March 2026, the Chamber of Deputies did not hand him over for criminal prosecution, so the court cannot proceed with the case while the prime minister is protected by parliamentary immunity.

The subsidy for small and medium-sized enterprises was awarded to the Stork's Nest farm despite its ties to the large holding company Agrofert, owned by Babiš. According to the prosecution, the farm did not meet the program's conditions, and the money was obtained only through a formal transfer to anonymous shareholders, while the farm remained effectively under Agrofert's control.

Source: novinky.cz