Czech Republic: Justice Minister Resigns After Accepting 40M Euro Bitcoin Gift from Drug Trafficker

The Czech Republic’s Justice Minister, Pavel Blazek, has resigned today (May 30, 2025) after his department received a gift of 40 million euros in bitcoin from a convicted drug trafficker who had served four years for abuse, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession. The man was released in 2021. Subsequently, the ministry auctioned off the cryptocurrencies, netting approximately 40 million euros. The origin of these funds remains unclear; however, Blazek argued that courts never proved they were linked to criminal activity. “I don’t know of any wrongdoing. But I do not want to tarnish the reputation of the governing coalition,” he stated on platform X. Authorities are investigating potential abuse of power and money laundering. Fifty-six-year-old Blazek is a member of the right-wing ODS party led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, head of the center-right governing coalition since 2021. The opposition called for Blazek’s resignation following the scandal’s revelation on Wednesday. Fiala commented that he believes Blazek acted in good faith and views his resignation as an act of responsibility. The country heads toward parliamentary elections this fall. The opposition ANO movement, led by billionaire former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, leads polls with about 30%, while ODS trails at 20%.