The Czech Republic is embroiled in a political scandal following the Justice Ministry's sale of nearly 500 Bitcoin, valued at $45 million, which were originally received from Tomas Jirikovsky—a convicted criminal involved in drug trafficking, embezzlement, and weapons violations. The Bitcoin was auctioned for 1 billion Czech koruna on May 28, sparking controversy over whether proper legal procedures were followed.
The opposition ANO party has called for a no-confidence vote against the ruling coalition, accusing the government of corruption related to this transaction. Despite the call, the vote is expected to fail due to the government's parliamentary majority. The former Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned on May 30 under pressure, while denying wrongdoing, aiming to protect the government's reputation before upcoming elections.
Newly appointed Justice Minister Eva Decroix has promised an independent investigation into the ministry's actions and assured full cooperation with any inquiries. The sale and donation have also raised questions about legitimizing assets sourced from convicted criminals.
Additional political ramifications include the opposition leveraging the scandal to highlight alleged corruption ahead of October elections, with polls showing ANO in the lead. Meanwhile, refund demands from auction winners continue to add to the controversy.