The European Commission is putting the brakes on subsidies for companies linked to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babi\u0161 until conflict of interest allegations are fully cleared up.<\/p>\n
“Czech authorities should not report to the European Commission any expenditures related to operations from December 9, 2025, if those operations concern entities within the Agrofert group or any organization controlled by or associated with Andrej Babi\u0161,\u201d wrote Hugo Sobral, a top official in the Commission’s regional policy department, in a letter dated May 20. Obtained by POLITICO<\/a>, the letter was first reported <\/a>by news outlet Seznam Zpr\u00e1vy.<\/p>\n “This should remain in effect until the issues are fully clarified,” Sobral added, noting that every payment request submitted to Brussels must include confirmation that the beneficiaries are not Agrofert, SynBiol, Hartenberg Holding<\/a> or any other companies linked to Babi\u0161.<\/p>\n In practice, that means any subsidies paid to Agrofert would be covered by Czech taxpayers. Czechia\u2019s agricultural paying agency decided<\/a> last month that the conglomerate is eligible for EU subsidies.<\/p>\n Babi\u0161 became prime minister on Dec. 9 after transferring Agrofert into a trust fund in response to conflict of interest allegations.<\/a> Opposition parties and NGOs argue<\/a> he has not fully severed ties with the business empire.<\/p>\n