Czech Minister Steps Down, Opposition Require Govt to Resign Over $46M in BTC ‘Contributed’ from Convicted Wrongdoer
Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned over $45.8 million in BTC ‘donated’ by a convicted criminal, with the opposition set to demand the resignation of the coalition government this week.
The Czech Republic has been shaken by a Bitcoin scandal. On Friday, Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned, with the opposition set to require the resignation of the coalition government today as well. The scenario caught on fire at the end of last week after Blažek, a conservative political leader, accepted a large donation in BTC and offered it for about $45.8 million in March, the AP reported. The opposition has raised concerns over the source of the donation.
Blažek received the coins from Tomas Jirikovsky, a convicted criminal. Jirikovsky ran the Sheep Market. In 2017, he went to prison for embezzlement, drug trafficking, and unlawful trading of weapons. Jirikovsky’s lawyer supposedly approached Blažek in March 2025, stating his client would donate 30% of his BTC stash to the ministry. Cops had seized the wallet containing this BTC and returned it to Jirikovsky after his release in 2021.
Blažek did not check the coins’ origin. ‘I have no chance to investigate the matter, and I wasn’t interested a lot of years after the case,’ he stated at an interview on Thursday. Jirikovsky most likely wanted ‘to repent’ through the donation, he said. He also declared that courts had not proven that the BTC originated from criminal activity. However, the opposition parties argue that it’s unclear why Jirikovsky provided the coins to the ministry or where the coins came from. They accused Blažek of possible money laundering. Furthermore, they argue that the state shouldn’t utilize the money till these points are clear.
Meanwhile, the High Prosecutor’s Office in Olomouc is investigating the case on suspicion of abuse of official authority and laundering of profits of crime. Blažek rejected knowledge of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, he stated he resigned so as not to damage the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The PM said he believed that Blažek showed goodwill.
Today, Brno Daily reported that the lower house will hold an urgent session on Thursday. The opposition parties will use the occasion to demand the resignation of the coalition government, the deputy leaders of the ANO and SPD parties, Karel Havlicek and Radim Fiala, said on Sunday. ‘We will want the government to find adequate self-reflection and resign,’ Havlicek said. The current cabinet could remain till the parliamentary elections in October, but it shouldn’t have the power to make significant decisions.
If the coalition government doesn’t resign, ‘We are extremely strongly considering calling a no-confidence vote in the government.’ Fiala, deputy leader of the far-right SPD, said that his party ‘will support an extraordinary session’ and a vote of no confidence in the government. However, lower house speaker Jan Skopecek said the opposition’s plans are simply ‘theatre’ in the campaign ahead of the elections.
Moreover, Czech Fiscal Council chair Mojmir Hampl argued that this case raises various crucial technical questions. However, these will not be answered in the pre-election stage. Meanwhile, Le Monde reported that Jirikovsky had been trying to recover about 1,500 BTC, seized by the authorities, since his imprisonment. Throughout the trial, the court believed that the coins originated from Nucleus. This is a dark web market that, the report claims, shut down the day after Jirikovsky’s arrest.
Furthermore, BTC market monitors noted that a portion of the Nucleus-linked BTC, dormant since 2016, moved to new wallets in March. This was after Blažek signed the contract, reports claim. Jirikovsky claimed that he got to keep the BTC because he had obtained it legally. Blažek claimed he hadn’t made any promises in return for the donation.
All these allegations will likely be brought up during the Thursday emergency session. On Friday, Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned, with the opposition set to require the resignation of the coalition government this week as well. The scenario caught on fire at the end of last week after Blažek, a conservative politician, accepted a big contribution in BTC and sold it for about $45.8 million in March, the AP reported. In 2017, he went to jail for embezzlement, drug trafficking, and illegal trading of weapons.
