The Czech coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala survived a no-confidence vote in the parliament on Wednesday evening amid a scandal involving a Bitcoin donation.
The vote, initiated by the opposition ANO party, gained only 94 votes – seven short of the 101 needed to topple the government. It was supported by ANO, the SPD, and the Pirate Party.
ANO MPs initiated the vote concerning a billion-crown donation in bitcoins of questionable origin to the Ministry of Justice. According to local media, the donation came from a man previously convicted of drug trafficking and other crimes.
The case ultimately resulted in the resignation of Justice Minister Pavel Blazek, reports Xinhua news agency.
Blazek said he was not aware of any illegal conduct on the ministry’s part when announcing his resignation last month. Fiala has said that he believed Blazek acted with goodwill but called the acceptance of the controversial Bitcoin donation an unnecessary problem that could have been avoided.
ANO leader Andrej Babis accused the government of losing moral authority and also demanded the resignation of Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura, whom he considers the key to the Bitcoin case.
“This is not about individuals. It is about a system in which the Minister of Justice feels untouchable. Prime Minister Fiala’s government has lost its moral authority,” he said in parliament on Tuesday.
Fiala has rejected the criticism and said the government remains stable and supported.
(IANS)
