Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš spent most of his life changing into a billionaire. He grew up because the son of a Czechoslovakian diplomat in Geneva and Paris, and following the collapse of Communism, he based the agriculture, media and chemical conglomerate Agrofert, which grew to grow to be the fourth-largest firm within the nation. Babiš is now one of many wealthiest folks within the Czech Republic.
In 2011, he based the protest social gathering ANO, which stands for Motion of Dissatisfied Residents. Two years later, the social gathering acquired the second-most votes within the election. Initially, Babiš served as finance minister and deputy prime minister earlier than stumbling over accusations of tax and subsidy fraud. However, his social gathering acquired essentially the most votes within the subsequent election and Babiš turned prime minister.
Regardless of governing the Czech Republic for the final three years, he continues to current himself as a political outsider. Some check with him because the “Czech Donald Trump.”
In Brussels, Babiš is a controversial determine primarily as a consequence of his enterprise pursuits. Members of the European Parliament say that his firm has acquired tens of millions in EU subsidies, which the prime minister denies. Final 12 months, greater than 200,000 protested on the streets of Prague towards his authorities, the most important such march within the nation seen within the final 30 years.
Babiš acquired DER SPIEGEL at his places of work on the Vltava River. It was his 66th birthday, however the prime minister did not appear to be in a celebratory temper. Our dialog begins with him dropping his mood. He has printed out a listing of DER SPIEGEL articles. “You’re mendacity to break me,” he says.
DER SPIEGEL: Mr. Prime Minister, you lately complained that some European member states accuse – unfairly, in your opinion – international locations like Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic of a scarcity of dedication to the rule of regulation. Who’s in charge for this allegedly inaccurate portrayal?
Babiš: In my particular case, there may be this story of an alleged battle of curiosity …
DER SPIEGEL: You’ve gotten been accused of ongoing involvement in your former firm Agrofert, which can be energetic in Germany, whereas on the similar time receiving EU subsidies.
Babiš: Ought to wealthy folks not go into politics though – in distinction to those that have made a profession out of politics – they’re incorruptible? The entire thing is an invention of the Fee in Brussels, whose inside auditing service gave itself permission to touch upon and interpret Czech regulation. That’s an impertinence. Solely Czech courts could accomplish that. I turned concerned in politics to battle towards corruption with my motion and I’ve misplaced some huge cash because of this. And I positioned management of my firm within the arms of a belief fund and now not have something to do with it.
The article you’re studying initially appeared in German in difficulty 37/2020 (September 5, 2020) of DER SPIEGEL.
DER SPIEGEL: Your criticisms of the establishments in Brussels are much like these coming from different Japanese European member states. In Hungary and Poland, the bulk opinion is that the European Fee ought to keep out of home affairs to the extent attainable.
Babiš: I do not say that. I’ve wonderful relations with the European Fee. The commissioner answerable for upholding the rule of regulation, by the best way, is Czech and he or she is a member of my motion, ANO. However we have to discover a definition for precisely what rule of regulation is meant to imply. It’s a choice for the European Court docket of Justice.
DER SPIEGEL: Viktor Orbán and Jarosław Kaczyński, the lads with the facility in Hungary and Poland respectively, are demanding a return to larger sovereignty. Do you share that want?
Babiš: I do not maintain the identical view. However we do need to return to the foundational European thought of the 4 freedoms: the free motion of products, folks, providers and capital. And: We must always lastly cease speaking concerning the East towards the West. As an alternative, we must always ask ourselves why we now have waited so lengthy to simply accept Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia into the Schengen Space. And what we intend to do concerning the international locations within the western Balkans. Will we wish to abandon them to the affect of Russia, China and Turkey? It looks as if there is not a plan. Take North Macedonia for instance: The nation has fulfilled all of the circumstances for accession into the European Union, however the EU has nonetheless executed nothing for fairly a while.
DER SPIEGEL: One does get the impression, although, that in a divided EU, it’s typically Germany, France and others versus Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. Is that not an West-East divide?
Babiš: That is not true. After all, you within the West say: We give the East some huge cash. What is not mentioned, although, is that billions of euros circulation again to the West within the type of earnings for overseas corporations like Volkswagen, who’ve invested in our nation.
DER SPIEGEL: Firm earnings, although, have little to do with subsidies. The Czech Republic earnings handsomely from EU subsidies.
An anti-government protest in Prague in 2019: “It is of no consequence to me.”
Foto: Gabriel Kuchta / Getty Pictures
Babiš: After all, however the Czech Republic is rising wealthier and is receiving much less and fewer cash because of this. And: I want cash for highways, hospitals, colleges and cement. We have now 5,000 German corporations right here. Their staff additionally wish to reside in consolation. This EU mantra of a Inexperienced Deal and digitalization is all nice, however I am speaking about conventional trade.
DER SPIEGEL: What are among the different issues that hassle you concerning the EU?
Babiš: We must be speaking about European safety amongst those that belong to NATO. The NATO treaty is from 1949. Europe ought to develop its personal concepts for taking up extra duty. Investing 2 % of gross home product in protection as promised will now grow to be simpler as a result of financial output is at the moment falling in all places. That’s one thing I defined to U.S. President Donald Trump, as nicely.
DER SPIEGEL: You’ve gotten demanded a slimmer, extra environment friendly EU. How do you see us getting there?
Babiš: Similar to Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, I’ve criticized the price of many establishments in Brussels. The European Parliament alone prices us 2 billion euros per 12 months. Why do they must be unfold out over three seats and journey to Strasbourg or Luxembourg with their information each couple of months? Or learn the report by the European Court docket of Auditors concerning the prices related to the European Exterior Motion Service: What number of places they keep in Africa and different locations…. A complete of 5,000 individuals are employed there, though overseas coverage is the duty of the person international locations. There’s room there for financial savings.
DER SPIEGEL: Do you suppose makes an attempt to ascertain a joint European overseas coverage are misguided?
Babiš: I need Europe to grow to be stronger. Migration, for instance, is a pan-European downside. We’d like a Marshall Plan for Syria. Individuals ought to be capable of return to their dwelling nation from the refugee camps to reside and work. Some 60,000 folks come to the Czech Republic annually as nicely, however legally. The EU quota for distributing refugees is unacceptable.
DER SPIEGEL: In 2015, the Czech Republic would have needed to settle for 2,691 migrants in accordance with EU resolutions, however refused to take action and was penalized by the European Court docket of Justice. Why do not you settle for refugees?
Babiš: These wanting to come back to Europe need to immigrate legally. We are able to speak about one thing like Ellis Island, the place the immigration company was as soon as situated off the coast of New York Metropolis. Why ought to unlawful immigrants be distributed throughout the EU? We Czechs present loads of solidarity: We contribute some huge cash; we now have posted police on the border in North Macedonia.
DER SPIEGEL: The Czech relationship to China appears to have been badly broken because the president of the Czech Senate led a big delegation to Taiwan, thus angering Beijing. Are you involved about financial penalties?
Babiš: My authorities’s place on China is not any totally different from that of Germany or different international locations. We settle for the One China coverage, however have not too long ago needed to take care of “overseas coverage consultants” just like the mayor of Prague or the Senate president, who maintain a distinct view. It seemingly has extra to do with home politics, with attracting voters.
DER SPIEGEL: The Czech Republic has an especially low sovereign debt load, the bottom unemployment fee within the EU and a buying energy among the many populace that’s corresponding to Italy. And it has achieved that success regardless of following its personal path: staying out of the eurozone, resisting a lot of what comes out of Brussels.
Babiš: The Czech Republic is a mannequin for the longer term. Many foreigners – from France and elsewhere – come to us. They reside right here and really feel secure.
DER SPIEGEL: However, the Czech inhabitants is among the many most EU-skeptic within the bloc – regardless of 45 billion euros in subsidies since 2004, regardless of freedom of journey and the interior market.
Babiš: It would get higher. Partially due to me: I’m pro-EU and criticize simply particular features. And a few proposals, resembling in relation to overseas coverage. Once I take a look at what Alexander Lukashenko is doing in Belarus! It’s unbelievable, which is why I acquired concerned there with the Polish prime minister and I additionally spoke with the German chancellor on the telephone. Early on, I assumed we might see in Belarus one thing like what we skilled in November 1989.
DER SPIEGEL: You’re risking the Czech Republic’s relationship with Russia.
Babiš: Our relationships with Russia aren’t perfect. I do not see a safety danger. We’re an impartial nation and do not permit others to dictate our actions. Again when Sergei Skripal was poisoned with Novichok in England, we Czechs expelled the most important variety of Russian diplomats.
“Early on, I assumed we might see in Belarus one thing like what we skilled in November 1989.”
DER SPIEGEL: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has confirmed that Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was attacked with a nerve agent from the Novichok household. You now wish to focus on attainable steps towards Moscow with the EU and NATO. What would you suggest?
Babiš: If we now have proof in our arms that Navalny was given a nerve agent and if it may be decided who was behind it, that might naturally require a severe response. In the mean time, although, we’re ready for the following developments and attainable proposals.
DER SPIEGEL: Do you agree with Donald Trump {that a} nation must be run like a enterprise?
Babiš: Like a household enterprise, I’d say. In such a enterprise, solidarity, imaginative and prescient and duty are important. The parallel to Trump has to do along with his want to make America “nice once more.” I would love the identical for the Czech Republic.
DER SPIEGEL: Is Trump a job mannequin for you?
Babiš: I used to be a politician earlier than he was. And individuals are nonetheless calling me a populist. I assist poor folks, and we now have numerous them right here. I used to gather tennis balls for 5 crowns an hour and later I constructed my dwelling with my very own two arms. Now, I do not want any more cash …
DER SPIEGEL: Your non-public property are estimated to be 4 billion euros.
Babiš: Now, my motivation is: I wish to assist others.
DER SPIEGEL: You plan to run for re-election in subsequent 12 months’s elections. The place do you see the Czech Republic’s future? Between the West and the East?
Babiš: Earlier than World Struggle II, our nation was one of the crucial industrialized international locations on the earth and our arms trade led the globe. We have now to proceed in that custom. We wish to as soon as once more be among the many finest. The long run is right here within the Czech Republic.
DER SPIEGEL: In November, greater than 200,000 folks took to the streets of Prague in protest towards you and President Miloš Zeman. Does that not hassle you?
Babiš: No, that was the opposition. It is of no consequence to me.
DER SPIEGEL: The opposition accuses you of constant to make use of your workplace to counterpoint your self.
Babiš: The opposition? Whether or not conservatives or Social Democrats, the one factor they have been excited about after the autumn of Communism was cash and energy. They have been those who paved my highway into politics!
DER SPIEGEL: The legacy of former Czech President Václav Havel is that of additionally seeing politics as an ethical authority. How a lot of that is still a component of your politics?
Babiš: I’ve extraordinarily good morals. I do not lie or steal. I do not drink an excessive amount of and I haven’t got a mistress. And concerning Havel: He even invited me to his seventieth birthday.
