Czech justice minister resigns, raising accusations of political pressure

Czech Justice Minister Jan Knezinek resigned on Thursday, the third change in the cabinet in a week, raising opposition accusations of political pressure on the justice system as Prime Minister Andrej Babis faces a potential fraud trial. Knezinek quit the day after police completed an investigation and recommended to the state attorney that Babis and others should stand trial for alleged fraud over a European Union subsidy - charges that could see him imprisoned for up to 10 years if he is found guilty.

Knezinek, a political independent appointed by Babis' ANO party, said that he would resign as of the end of April, without giving any details. Babis has repeatedly said he is innocent and has called the investigation a plot by adversaries to force him out of politics. ANO remains the most popular political party.

"The opposition does not have anything else but (this case), it is an absurd story, it is a political case," Babis told state television in an interview on Thursday. The Justice Ministry does not have the right to influence individual cases but it administers the system of state attorneys' offices. The top state attorney is a government appointee.

The justice minister appoints the other state attorneys, who decide on bringing a case to court, following a proposal from the top state attorney. Jan Hamacek, chairman of the junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, told reporters that if the replacement of the justice minister were to bring about any changes among the state attorneys, it would call for a "serious debate in the coalition".

Opposition parties criticised the change of justice minister. "This an extremely serious case. The police propose to formally charge Prime Minister (Andrej) Babis and he hastily changes the justice minister. Unacceptable and unbelievable," tweeted Petr Fiala, chairman of the centre-right Civic Democrats.

Babis has proposed Marie Benesova as the new minister. She had previously served in a caretaker cabinet in 2013 appointed by President Milos Zeman, and also as the top state attorney appointed under a Zeman government in the late 1990s. Zeman has backed Babis throughout the police investigation, saying that he trusted him.

In concluding the probe on Wednesday, police said Babis and others should be tried for illegally tapping a 2 million euro EU subsidy to build a conference centre outside Prague. Babis, a billionaire businessman in chemicals, farming, media and other industries, also faces a probe by the European Commission into whether he had conflicts of interests in tapping larger EU subsidies. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Zeman will appoint Benesova on April 30, together with new ministers of industry and transport, the president's spokesman said. 

(With inputs from agencies.)