Babiš apologises for dubbing MEPs traitors

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has apologised for calling two Czech members of the European Parliament traitors. He made the apology to Tomáš Zdechovský and Mikuláš Peksa in a radio interview on Tuesday and said afterwards that the accusation had been exaggerated.

The prime minister criticised the two in connection with a delegation of MEPs who visited Prague in recent days as part of investigations of alleged conflict of interest on his part. He told reporters the pair were traitors who should defend Czech interests and described the EP delegation as a political mission.

Mr. Zdechovský said he had received death threats following Mr. Babiš’s allegation and that he was considering taking legal action against the PM.

On Tuesday the leader of the Mayors and Independents, Vít Rakušan, called on Prime Minister Babiš to apologise over a separate incident in which a recording captured him calling the party’s MP Věra Kovářová a “beast”.

Author: Ian Willoughby