The prosecutor proposed a three-year suspended sentence and a heavy fine for Jana Nagyová for the alleged subsidy fraud at the Čapí hnízdo farm. The reputation of Andrej Babiš is also at stake.
On Monday, the prosecutor of the Municipal Court in Prague proposed a three-year suspended sentence and a fine of 500,000 Czech crowns for Jana Nagyová, former adviser to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and vice president of Farma Čapí hnízdo. Nagyová faces charges of subsidy fraud and damaging the financial interests of the European Union. The case concerns the obtaining of a subsidy in the amount of 50 million Czech crowns, which, according to the indictment, was illegally allocated to the Čapí hnízdo farm.
- The prosecutor proposed a three-year suspended sentence and a large fine for Jana Nagyová.
- Jana Nagyová is accused of subsidy fraud and harming the Union’s financial interests.
- The Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal twice and requests that Nagy be found guilty.
- The criminal prosecution of Andrej Babiš does not continue due to non-extradition by the Chamber of Deputies due to immunity.
- The decision of the Municipal Court in Prague in the case of Nagy should come soon.
At the beginning of the hearing, the chairman of the court panel, Jan Šott, summarized the course of the case so far and emphasized that it is bound by the decision of the appeal court. The Supreme Court has twice overturned the acquittal verdict and expressed the opinion that the first-instance court should recognize both Nagyová and Babiš as guilty. However, in the case of Andrej Babiš, the court proceedings cannot continue, as the Czech Chamber of Deputies did not extradite him for criminal prosecution due to his parliamentary immunity.
The court decision is approaching
Prosecutor Jaroslav Šaroch emphasized in his closing speech that the evidence unequivocally confirms Nagy’s guilt. On the contrary, her defense attorney Josef Bartončík repeatedly requested the addition of evidence, including the re-interrogation of Andrej Babiš, which the court refused. At the same time, Bartončík insisted that his client is innocent, and proposed her complete acquittal. In her closing speech, Nagy denied any wrongdoing and declared that she had done nothing illegal.
According to the indictment, the subsidy, originally intended for small and medium-sized enterprises, was allocated to the Čapí hnízdo farm based on the formal transfer of ownership to anonymous shareholders. In reality, however, the farm remained under the control of the Agrofert holding, which was owned by Andrej Babiš at the time. According to the plaintiff, this step was intended to enable the unauthorized acquisition of funds.
The long-standing case continues
The Čapí hnízdo case is one of the most famous political affairs in the Czech Republic and has resonated in the media and the public for several years. The case became the subject of political controversy, especially in connection with Babiš’s role in the whole affair. Although his prosecution was dropped, the case continues to cast a shadow over his political career.
The decision of the Municipal Court in Prague in the case of Jana Nagy is expected in the next few days. The verdict may have a significant impact not only on the defendant herself, but also on the further development of the political scene in the Czech Republic.
