Czech PM's minority gov't fails in confidence vote

PRAGUE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Czech Prime Minister-designate and ANO chairman Andrej Babis' minority government failed on Tuesday afternoon in the confidence vote of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Czech parliament.

The confidence vote was scheduled on Jan. 10, but was postponed to Jan. 16 based on the proposal of Civic Democratic Party (ODS) party.

Zbynek Stanjura, chairman of the ODS deputy group, argued that the lower house mandate and immunity committee did not have enough time to hold an extraordinary meeting on the EU subsidy fraud case of Capi hnizdo, in which Babis is implicated before the confidence vote.

The lower house mandate and immunity committee held the meeting on Tuesday morning. It recommended that the Chamber of Deputies plenary session release Babis and Faltynek (ANO first deputy head) for prosecution in the Capi hnizdo case of a suspected EU subsidy fraud.

It is not sure yet when the whole Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Czech parliament, will deal with the police request for their release.

Babis has said the ANO minority government will tender the resignation at its next meeting on Wednesday if it does not win the confidence vote.

ANO has 78 MPs in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies. Enditem