Czech billionaire denies clash with Babiš over weapons supplies to Ukraine

Michal Strnad, owner of the defense company Czechoslovak Group (CSG), told Bloomberg that there is no conflict with newly elected Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

During the election campaign, Babiš criticized Strnad sharply, saying he disapproved of those who profit excessively from war and promising to scrutinize individual military procurements.

Strnad said that these tensions disappeared immediately after the election.

"I understand this, although it was unpleasant to hear such things. Now, everyone seems to think there is some enmity between us. We are in communication, and I believe he also understands that he must behave appropriately in dialogue with a major employer and a significant contributor to GDP," Strnad explained.

Jan Hamáček, Director of External Relations at CSG, told LIGA.net that the company is ready to cooperate with any Czech government.

"We hope that the new government will continue to support Ukraine. The Czech ammunition initiative benefits not only Ukraine but also the Czech Republic. It provides jobs for Czech companies and generates tax revenue here. This should clearly be in the interest of any government leading the country. We hope the new government, after reviewing the initiative, will decide to participate accordingly," he said.

• Under the framework of the "Czech initiative," Ukraine has received 3.7 million rounds of ammunition, with a total financial value estimated between EUR 4 billion and EUR 4.5 billion.