Czech PM says government to resign in row over finance minister
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The Czech prime minister is to submit his government’s resignation later this week.
Bohuslav Sobotka said he took the decision because of a disagreement with his finance minister, Andrej Babis, who is alleged to have engaged in murky business dealings.
“I cannot, as the prime minister, continue to be responsible for this situation, that in the post of both deputy prime minister and minister of finance is a man whose past is unclear in this way and who has numerous allegations of tax evasion levelled against him.”
Babis denies any wrongdoing.
Currently a partner in the governing coalition, the finance minister’s centrist ANO movement is polling with a double-digit margin over with the prime minister’s centre-left Social Democrats.
Sobotka is to meet the president this week to formally submit the resignations. His decision comes less than six months before parliamentary elections.
Czech Republic: Government resigns, regular elections already scheduled for October. Possible interim govt to come in.@edwardlucas
— Jakub Janda (@_JakubJanda) May 2, 2017