Czech Parliament Debates No-Confidence Vote Over Bitcoin Scandal

The Czech government, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, is facing a no-confidence vote triggered by a scandal involving a nearly 1 billion koruna bitcoin donation to the Justice Ministry from a donor with a criminal record. Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned amid the controversy to avoid further damage to the coalition, with Eva Decroix succeeding him and promising an independent investigation into the handling of the donation. Opposition parties, including Andrej Babiš's ANO movement, the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy party, and possibly the Pirate Party, have called for the government's resignation, alleging possible money laundering and lack of transparency regarding the bitcoin's origin. Despite the opposition's efforts and public outrage, the four-party coalition retains a parliamentary majority, making it unlikely the no-confidence motion will succeed. The scandal has heightened political tensions ahead of the October parliamentary elections, where Babiš remains a strong contender. President Petr Pavel has cautioned against government removal, warning it could cause instability.