Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Tuesday appointed Eva Decroix as the country’s new justice minister, replacing Pavel Blažek after a weeks-long controversy over a $45m Bitcoin donation from a convicted criminal.
The move follows a growing political storm surrounding Blažek, who accepted a Bitcoin payment on behalf of the state from Tomáš Jirčovský, a man previously jailed for running the now-defunct Silk Road-style platform Sheep Marketplace.
Jirčovský was convicted in 2017 on charges including drug trafficking, fraud and illegal arms possession, and served four years in prison.
Donation Meant To Benefit State Ends Up Eroding Public Trust And Political Standing
The Ministry of Justice received a donation of 468 Bitcoin. It later sold the assets for about €40m, or $43.2m, earlier this year.
Blažek maintained that the move was legal and meant to benefit the state. However, the decision sparked sharp criticism. Opponents accused him of legitimizing illicit assets and bypassing proper legal channels.
As pressure mounted, Blažek stepped down from his ministerial role. He also left Prime Minister Fiala’s Civic Democrat party. He said the scandal had become a distraction for the ruling coalition and risked undermining public confidence.
New Minister Tasked With Rebuilding Trust Ahead Of High-Stakes October Vote
Prime Minister Fiala acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. He said Decroix’s appointment comes at a crucial moment. He also instructed her to launch an independent audit to bring transparency to the Bitcoin donation and restore public trust in the ministry.
The scandal has erupted at a politically sensitive time. National elections are scheduled for Oct. 3–4. The opposition ANO party, led by former prime minister Andrej Babiš, has seized on the controversy as evidence of government failure.
Although the ruling coalition holds a majority in the lower house and is likely to survive the upcoming no-confidence vote, analysts caution that the issue could sway voter sentiment in a close race.
Babiš, a vocal critic of the administration, said the incident shows a wider breakdown in government oversight.
Now, Decroix must quickly stabilize the ministry’s credibility before the election. The fallout from the Bitcoin case may persist. However, the government hopes her appointment will signal a shift toward accountability and ease public discontent in the months ahead.
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