Czech Opposition Plans No-Confidence Vote Over $45M Bitcoin Scandal

The Czech government is embroiled in a political scandal after accepting and then selling nearly $45 million worth of Bitcoin seized from convicted criminal Tomáš Jiříkovský, who was involved in drug trafficking, fraud, and illegal weapons possession. Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned amid criticism that the government failed to conduct proper legal verification and anti-money laundering checks before liquidating the Bitcoins, raising concerns about legitimizing criminal assets. The opposition party ANO, led by Andrej Babis, has filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Petr Fiala's coalition government, accusing it of corruption and demanding multiple resignations including that of the prime minister. Despite the political turmoil and public criticism, the government is expected to survive the vote due to its parliamentary majority, though the controversy threatens to impact its standing ahead of the upcoming elections. Justice Minister Eva Dekrou has pledged an external audit and improved communication to restore trust, but the opposition has dismissed these efforts as insufficient. The case underscores the challenges governments face in handling digital assets transparently and the potential political fallout from mismanaging such high-profile cryptocurrency dealings.