- A $45 million Bitcoin donation linked to convicted criminal Tomáš Jiřikovský, has triggered political turmoil in the Czech government.
- A no-confidence motion was tabled against the Czech government, led by opposition party ANO. .
- The Czech Republic’s ruling Civic Democratic Party has survived its fourth no-confidence vote in three years, with seven votes shy of the 101 required for a successful ousting
The Czech Republic’s ruling Civic Democratic Party has survived its fourth no-confidence vote in three years, after a political scandal over their involvement in a $45 million Bitcoin donation linked to a convicted criminal.
The motion, brought forward by opposition parties, arose from a controversial cryptocurrency donation made to the Ministry of Justice on May 27 by Tomáš Jiřikovský, a man previously convicted of drug trafficking, arms offenses, and financial crimes.
Jiřikovský donated 1,561 Bitcoin, worth approximately 1 billion Czech koruna ($45 million), after a court ruling returned his previously seized digital devices.
The transaction, although legally permissible, raised ethical concerns across the political spectrum.
After more than 24 hours of heated parliamentary debate, the motion garnered 94 votes, seven short of the 101 required for a successful ousting.
The government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala remains in power but now faces increasing scrutiny over its oversight of crypto affairs.
In a public statement, Fiala acknowledged “mistakes were made” and admitted that the donation should have been prevented.
“The incident has understandably shaken public trust,” he said.
Fiala also said his party will “take responsibility for ethical misconduct.”
However, he also accused the opposition of exploiting the scandal for political gain, describing their attacks as “insults and lies” in a post on X.
The fallout from the scandal has already claimed one political casualty. Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned on May 30 under mounting pressure, while Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura is also facing calls to step down amid claims he was aware of the donation beforehand.
Newly appointed Justice Minister Eva Decroix was sworn in by President Petr Pavel on June 10. She has pledged to launch an independent investigation into the handling of the donation, promising full cooperation from her ministry.
The latest scandal comes amid global concerns over the intersection of cryptocurrency and politics, with recent controversies involving political leaders in the United States and Argentina drawing parallels.
