Babish: “the European Union is repeating the path of the Roman Empire at the end of its existence”

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has said that the European Union is heading down the same path as the Roman Empire at the twilight of its existence.

The interview containing the statement was published by the Financial Times.

“The European Union is probably on the same path as the Roman Empire at the end of its existence,” Babiš said.

Beyond the historical parallel, the Czech prime minister criticized the EU’s decarbonization policies, calling such measures destructive for the European economy. In his view, they are pushing it into the abyss.

Babiš’s statement came against the backdrop of his position on defense spending: he had previously said that the Czech Republic does not intend to increase defense spending, despite rising target figures among other NATO countries. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker commented on this refusal, stating that the United States needs strong allies in Europe rather than ones dependent on Washington. Whitaker also noted that the U.S. “plays a leading role” in defense spending and assured that Washington does not intend to reduce its presence in Europe.

Previously, the Czech Republic also refused to sell its aircraft to Ukraine.