Slovakia Clears Andrej Babiš of Collaboration with Communist Secret Police

The Slovak Ministry of the Interior has reached a settlement with former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, resolving a long-standing dispute over his alleged involvement with the communist-era State Security (StB).

The case revolved around Babiš’s unauthorized registration as a StB agent, which he has consistently denied.

On October 11, 2024, the Bratislava IV Municipal Court approved the settlement, which acknowledged that Babiš was wrongly listed as an StB agent under the code name “Bureš” with registration number 25085.

According to the agreement, Babiš did not knowingly cooperate with the StB.

As part of the settlement, Babiš has agreed not to pursue any further claims for damages or compensation against the Slovak state.

He also pledged to withdraw complaints filed with the European Court of Human Rights and waived all financial claims related to the case.

Ministry spokesperson Matej Neumann stated, “Andrej Babiš has agreed not to seek financial compensation, and he will also withdraw all pending complaints.”

The ministry chose to settle after evaluating the legal and financial risks associated with continuing the lawsuit. Two external legal analyses commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior indicated a high likelihood of losing the case, which could have resulted in substantial financial claims by Babiš.

Political Context

Babiš, the leader of the ANO movement in the Czech Republic, maintains close ties with key political figures in Slovakia, including Prime Minister Robert Fico of the Direction-Social Democracy party.

Babiš also supported Peter Pellegrini in his successful bid for the presidency earlier this year, following Zuzana Čaputová’s term.

Pellegrini’s victory came with the backing of Babiš, Fico, and other influential figures, including at a recent gathering celebrating former Czech President Miloš Zeman’s 80th birthday in Hluboká nad Vltavou.

The political landscape in Slovakia has shifted following Pellegrini’s election, with Matúš Šutaj Eštok, the new Minister of the Interior, playing a key role in reaching the settlement with Babiš.

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