Czech Republic PM denies ICIJ report claiming he bought lavish estate with offshore firms

The recent investigative report of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), dubbed as the Pandora Papers, has revealed Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has re-routed an offshore company to purchase a lavish chateau for $22 million, news agency Sputnik reported on Monday. According to the reports of ICIJ, the self-styled "man of the people", the Czech Prime Minister had purchased a  lavish five-bedroom Chateau Bigaud spread over 9.4 acres on the French Riviera and kept his ownership a "top secret". Citing public records, the report alleged that the Czech Prime Minister purchased the chateau that belonged to a subsidiary of one of the Czech companies indirectly owned by Babis.

"The findings by ICIJ and its media partners spotlight how deeply secretive finance has infiltrated global politics – and offer insights into why governments and global organisations have made little headway in ending offshore financial abuses, noted the investigative report.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations, Babis who has promoted himself as a business administrator anxious to fix the country’s economy, refuted the ICIJ investigative reports and said that the purchase was made "within the legal framework". "Well, it's here. I was waiting for what they would pull on me just before the elections so that they would harm me and influence the Czech elections", wrote the Czech Republic Prime Minister on the micro-blogging site late at night. "I have never done anything illegal or wrong, but that does not prevent them from trying to denigrate me again and influence the Czech parliamentary elections," further wrote the Prime Minister.

EU had earlier red-flagged issues regarding Andrej Babis business

Notably, the 2021 Czech legislative election will be held on 8 and 9 October this year. According to Sputnik, the latest poll confer the centrist ruling party ANO, supervised by incumbent PM Babis, coming out on top, with 28-32% of promised electors supporting it. Earlier in September this year, the billionaire politician, a populist face of the country, who voiced against elites and the business, was threatened by the European Commission for indirectly controlling various companies which have been funded by the EU. The executive branch, responsible for proposing legislation, enforcing EU laws and directing the union's administrative operations, had warned Prague of barring allowances allotted for the landlocked nation over a dispute of interests with the Prime Minister.

With inputs from PTI

Image: AP