Leading Czech candidate for PM charged with fraud involving $2mn

The leading candidate to become the Czech Republic’s next prime minister has been charged with fraud involving $2 million in EU subsidies, AP reports. Andrej Babis, a former Czech finance minister and billionaire, says that the case is politically motivated. His centrist ANO movement is widely expected to win the October 20-21 election. Another ANO official, Jaroslav Faltynek, also has been charged. Faltynek denies the accusations. The case involves a farm that received an EU subsidy after its ownership was transferred from the Agrofert conglomerate, which belonged to Babis, to his family members. The EU farm subsidy was meant for medium and small businesses.