The Czech opposition party ANO plans to initiate a vote of no confidence against the current government amid a scandal involving the sale of cryptocurrency with questionable origins. The announcement was made by ANO deputy chairman Karel Havlíček, as quoted by Reuters.
The controversy erupted within the Czech Ministry of Justice after it was revealed that nearly one billion Czech koruna worth of bitcoins had been sold. The assets had previously been seized from Tomáš Řezníkovský, who was convicted of drug trafficking. Despite the dubious origin of the cryptocurrency, the ministry proceeded with its sale.
Justice Minister Pavel Blažek submitted his resignation in response to the scandal, though he denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that no court had officially confirmed the criminal origin of the funds.
Unless something absolutely extraordinary happens, we will initiate a vote of no confidence, Havlíček stated, adding that under the current circumstances, there is no other option.
ANO, which is currently leading in polls ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections, has also called for the early resignation of the entire cabinet.
In response, Czech President Petr Pavel said that the government’s resignation would not serve the best interests of the country at this time.
