Group of MEPs concludes conflict of interest law being applied poorly

A group of European MEPs which visited the Czech Republic to investigate the facts surrounding Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’ alleged conflict of interest and the use of EU funds, has concluded that there are no reliable mechanisms in place to identify a conflict of interest.

The head of the delegation, Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control Monika Hohlmeier said the team was departing with more unanswered questions than they arrived with and that a thorough analysis of the situation was needed.

Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský, who was a member of the team, and who originally pointed to the problem in the Czech Republic, said laws against money-laundering were also being applied inadequately.