Czech internet giant sues PM Babiš over alleged media attacks

Seznam.cz, the largest internet company in the Czech Republic, has filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The company says the action follows repeated attacks by the prime minister and seeks protection for its good reputation.

It refers to Babiš's claims that the company failed to pay withholding tax of almost €37 million in connection with dividend payments. The firm also notes that the prime minister has repeatedly criticised journalists from Seznam Zprávy and Novinky.cz, which are part of entrepreneur Ivo Lukačovič's Seznam portfolio, at press conferences, describing their reporting as false and manipulative.

According to company spokeswoman Aneta Kapuciánová, the firm asked the prime minister at the end of last year to refrain from making such statements, but this request was ignored. In its lawsuit, Seznam.cz is demanding that posts on his social media accounts be deleted, that further dissemination of the disputed statements be prohibited, and that an apology be issued.

In response, the prime minister said he stands by his statements: 'Mr. Lukačovič's media have been lying for a long time, and I can prove it at any time.'

(tasr, ct24, max)