Czech govt survives no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal

IANS June 19, 2025 318 views

The Czech government narrowly survived a no-confidence vote sparked by a Bitcoin donation scandal. Opposition parties ANO and SPD pushed for the motion after reports linked the donation to a convicted criminal. Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned last month over the controversy, though he denied wrongdoing. Prime Minister Petr Fiala defended his government's stability while critics accused it of losing moral authority.

"This is not about individuals. It is about a system in which the Minister of Justice feels untouchable." - Andrej Babis
Czech govt survives no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal
Prague, June 19: 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.

Key Points

1

Czech coalition survives no-confidence vote by 7 votes

2

Opposition ANO led push over Bitcoin donation scandal

3

Justice Minister Blazek resigned amid controversy

4

PM Fiala maintains government stability despite criticism

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.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Interesting to see crypto corruption reaching government levels abroad too. In India we've been cautious about Bitcoin for good reason - the anonymity makes it perfect for shady deals. Hope our politicians learn from this Czech scandal. 🚨
P
Priya M.
The minister resigned but the government survived - shows their system has some accountability at least. In our country, such scandals often get brushed under the carpet with no consequences. The Czech opposition did right by pushing for this vote.
A
Arjun S.
Bitcoin donations to ministries? This is why RBI has been warning about crypto! Digital currency needs strict regulation worldwide. The Czech case proves that even developed nations struggle with this. India's cautious approach seems justified.
S
Sneha P.
The opposition calling it a "moral authority" issue is spot on. When public trust is broken, it takes years to rebuild. Hope Indian politicians note this - corruption in any form, digital or otherwise, erodes democracy. Stay vigilant, Czech Republic!
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Vikram D.
While the scandal is concerning, it's good to see their democratic processes working - proper debate, minister resignation, and a transparent vote. We should appreciate when systems function as designed, even if imperfectly. More mature than our political dramas sometimes.

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Tags:
Czech Republic Petr Fiala Andrej Babis Bitcoin scandal no-confidence vote Pavel Blazek ANO party