• 20/04/2022
• By wizewebsite
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Bill for Orbán's visit to Ústí: sandwiches worth 100,000 crowns are being sought<

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The Hungarian prime minister praised Babiš's side in northern Bohemia: the local literary tradition and the Czech economy. In the end, the "bad man of the EU", according to the YES billboards, foretold a new wave of migration threatening Europe.

However, Babiš had the bill for this pre-election performance paid to the voters, or the Czech state. And even without transport, it is more than a quarter of a million.

This is evidenced by the documents that the Message List has read. The government office paid over two hundred thousand crowns for catering for a one-day event alone. This snack was to be consumed by a small government delegation led by Babiš and Orbán within 3.5 hours.

According to the order of the Office of the Government published in the register of contracts, CZK 150,000 went from the public budget for refreshments at the North Bohemian Theater. Only after the publication of this text did the Office of the Government provide a list of reports, according to which the state finally paid a slightly lower amount for refreshments in the theater - 100 thousand crowns. In the theater, however, the closed pre-election meeting YES took place.

Political parties must finance pre-election activities transparently from party money and prove this to the supervisory authority after the elections.

Sirloin on Větruš

Orbán's visit was the trump card at the end of the prime minister's campaign. List The reports found out how the program on the border between the state visit and the pre-election PR was financed. Andrej Babiš largely bases his political career on the anti-corruption legend that as a rich and successful businessman, unlike "traditional" politicians, he does not abuse public budgets.

The government office insists that Babiš's trip with Orbán to Ústí was a state event.

"Apart from the discussion in the theater, it was a top state visit," Vanesa Šandová from the Press Department of the Office of the Government wrote at the Reports in early October. At the same time, it cannot be said that this was an urgent meeting - Orbán and Babiš met just a few days before the event in Ústí - also at state expense - at Orbán's home in Budapest. They could very likely discuss anything there that would be in the state interest. The two politicians also acted together before leaving for the north of Bohemia in Prague in Kramář's villa.

The program in Ústí on Wednesday, September 29 began with the arrival at the Větruše chateau, around half past one in the afternoon. Of course, the crossings were also government limousines, ie for state money.

Babiš earns on his own campaign. He pays for it to companies from the holding

Originally, Orbán and Babiš were supposed to at least take a picture for the public in Větruš, but they changed their minds. And they fled to the closed chateau for lunch in front of the media and protesters. According to the public register of contracts, the Government Office ordered catering there for 133,000 crowns.

"It simply came to our notice then. It's for a lot of people, there are always escorts, security guards, drivers around these visits. The price is standard. The Prime Minister certainly did not throw it off his hoof, to put it that way. Every crown turned, "said David Kopač, general manager of the Větruše restaurant and hotel.

The amount that the Office of the Government paid for lunch - which in the end was supposed to be 110 thousand crowns according to the Office of the Government - is relatively generous also with regard to the prices on Větruš. At the time of the visit, Czech officials had a look at the menu served to Orbán. For lunch there, the delegation had broth, sirloin and as a dessert buns with chodo. Czech wine and Pilsner beer were drunk. According to the restaurant's permanent menu, food per capita should fit up to 500 crowns, for example sirloin portions cost 215 crowns. The number of members of the delegation is unknown, but according to the author of the text, who was present, there were rather dozens of people. In addition, only those closest to them have the privilege of having lunch at a state luncheon - during which security must also work and not eat.

Where the sandwiches disappeared

But the delegation apparently soon starved after lunch in Větruš. The program of Orbán's visit continued at the North Bohemian Theater. There, the Government Office ordered another snack - even more expensive, for 155 thousand crowns. Even though the YES movement organized the main program there as its pre-election meeting, not the Government Office.

"Yes, we also delivered refreshments to the theater, there was the press conference. If you were there as a journalist and had a baguette, it was from us, "describes the manager of Větruše Kopač.

For the press conference, the refreshment was indeed refreshable - but "refreshment for journalists", according to the prime minister's public account, paid YES - and also in much more modest price ranges. On the day of the event, YES paid Ekofin PC, the operator of Větruše, less than seven thousand for food for media representatives.

After the press conference, however, there was only a pre-election meeting in the theater. It was closed, only for supporters and party members of the YES movement. "No, we certainly didn't add anything to it," says Kopač.

The question therefore remains what kind of catering the Government Office ordered for the theater, where the lunched delegation drove around 3 pm and where the party event began soon after a press conference of about an hour.

The government office responds only in general. "Invoiced refreshments, including other services according to actual costs, were CZK 99,505, including VAT. It was catering during the summit of the state visit, the meeting of the Prime Minister with the Prime Minister of Hungary, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, "said spokeswoman Jana Adamcová.

Only after the publication of the text List of Reports did the Government Office describe what refreshments were involved. For example, the Office of the Government paid another eight thousand crowns for coffee from vending machines, tea and water for journalists, although YES, as described above, paid another seven thousand crowns for journalists.

"It was a small feast for the prime ministers, ministers and their entourage, as well as for technical staff and others. For example, for the present media representatives it was a beverage bar for 50 people (coffee from a vending machine, tea, water) for 7,500 without VAT, ie 8,250 with VAT and baguettes for 50 people for 7,750 without VAT, ie 8,525 with VAT, "specified Šandová from the Office of the Government. According to her, the value of the invoice also includes inventory, such as tables, dishes, tablecloths, or transport, floral decorations and staff.

+19

Babiš na Větruši was not on the occasion of Orbán's visit for the first time. She was even a bit of the centerpiece of his election campaign this year. At the place with a unique view, the Prime Minister launched a campaign of his movement in a grand style at the beginning of September. Two payments to the operator of Větruše can be found on the party's election account of the YES movement, 50 thousand for "restaurant and hotel services" from 1 September and 23 thousand crowns paid on 22 September for "arranging a press conference".

Ekofin PC has a colorful past and local CSSD personnel used to be close to it. Since last year, the Czech public belongs to the unknown Swiss company SM Trade AG.

We will pay for the theater

Andrej Babiš, who led the YES movement candidate in the Central Bohemian Region in the previous parliamentary elections, first followed his political rival, Pirates leader Ivan Bartoš, to Ústí, who also decided to run there. It was supposed to be - according to spring assumptions - a direct battle for the prime minister's post. Babiš also had the advantage of party background in the city - the mayor of Ústí nad Labem and the governor of the Ústí region are from YES.

The theater, where the "performance" with Orbán took place, is half owned by the city and the region. At the same time, it is not possible to find on the transparent account of the YES movement or in the public register of treaties that the movement or the Office of the Government rented the theater.

"The ANO movement organized a discussion of both prime ministers at the North Bohemian Theater, and in connection with this event, we therefore pay for the theater's rent between 5 pm and 7 pm. We pay CZK 42,350 for the lease and the payment will appear on the voting account in the coming days, "said Martin Vodička, spokesman for YES, in the List of Reports.

According to Adamcová, the government office will pay less than fifty thousand for renting space in the theater for a press conference.