Sell firms or leave, Czech protesters tell leader

PRAGUE — About a quarter of a million Czechs gathered Saturday on the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and gave Prime Minister Andrej Babis an ultimatum — sell your businesses or quit your job.

Protesters from across the Czech Republic attended Saturday’s demonstration, the second protest opposing Babis at Letna Park, the scene of gatherings in 1989 that greatly contributed to the fall of communism.

Police estimated about 250,000 people attended the demonstration.

The protesters see the populist billionaire and his ally, pro-Russian President Milos Zeman, as threats to democracy. They have given Babis a deadline of Dec. 31 to get rid of his business and media empire or resign.

“We won’t give up until you’re gone,” said Mikulas Minar, a student who put his studies on hold to lead a group called Million Moments for Democracy that organizes the demonstrations against Babis.

Babis was required to transfer ownership of his businesses — including a conglomerate of some 250 companies and two major newspapers — to two trust funds in February 2017.

But his critics, including Transparency International, say he still maintains control. A preliminary European Union report leaked to media outlets concluded the same, saying Babis is in a position to influence the EU subsidies that companies receive.

Babis has denied wrongdoing and said there’s no reason for him to resign.

“It’s great that people can express their view and nobody persecutes and attacks them,” Babis said.

More than 250,000 people attended the previous rally in June, which was considered the biggest anti-government protest since the end of communism.

Babis also faces allegations that he collaborated with Czechoslovakia’s secret police before 1989, and he has been criticized for his government’s power-sharing deal. The deal, which he signed July 10, 2018, gave the Communist Party a role in governing for the first time since the Velvet Revolution.

The protest organizers are set to announce more demonstrations on Jan. 7 if Babis doesn’t meet their demands.