Czech agricultural support fund sues Agrofert subsidiaries to recover 22 million CZK

The State Agricultural and Forestry Support Fund (PGRLF) has filed lawsuits against 28 subsidiaries of the Agrofert holding, seeking repayment of subsidies amounting to about 22 million Czech crowns. The fund alleges that the companies breached the conflict‑of‑interest law between 2017 and 2021, when Andrej Babiš, then owner of Agrofert, served as prime minister.

Voluntary repayment requests made to the subsidiaries were not honoured, prompting the fund to move to pre‑court proceedings and now to formal lawsuits. The fund announced the action on its website, noting that details will be limited to avoid influencing ongoing legal processes. The European Commission and Czech courts have previously concluded that Babiš did not resolve the conflict of interest during his first term, maintaining his influence over Agrofert through trust structures. Agrofert’s spokesperson maintains the group acted in accordance with the law.

The disputed subsidies stem from programs that support agricultural insurance, land and equipment purchases, and loan interest subsidies, financed from state budget allocations and the fund’s own revenues.