A so-called “tsunami of scandals” has shaken the Czech Republic: a donor with connections to the criminal underworld gifted the Czech Ministry of Justice 41 million euros in Bitcoin. As a result, Justice Minister Pavel Blažek was forced to resign in June.
In addition to the severe loss of trust the Ministry of Justice has suffered because of this scandal, it is also alleged to have played a major role in a network that systematically exerted considerable political influence through public contracts and financial flows.
The pro-EU Czech government is also facing criticism for its Europe-wide “anti-right-wing campaign” ahead of the last EU election. Several European right-wing politicians—such as Petr Bystron and Maximilian Krah from the AfD—were accused of receiving funds from Russia. However, investigations by Czech journalists Petr Stepanek and Angelika Bazalová reveal not only a lack of evidence for these claims but also numerous indications that the campaign was orchestrated by the Czech government and mainstream media.
The government narrowly survived a vote of no confidence, but with parliamentary elections approaching in October, signs point to change. The centrist party ANO, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, is clearly ahead in the polls.
