After Wednesday’s demonstration by opposition parties and trade unions in front of the government office, the attention of the media and social networks focused on the clothes of MP Andrej Babiš (ANO), who arrived at the event wearing a black Prada jacket. Babish’s critics claim that the luxury jacket cost 130 thousand crowns, which contradicted the social theme of their demonstration. However, in the end, Babis himself spoke, and everything turned out to be a little different. From the ranks of the ANO movement, words of jealousy, hatred and misinformation were heard.
Hans Stumpera
Description: Andrej Babiš at the KOVO trade union demonstration in front of the government office of the Czech Republic
This Wednesday, an anti-government demonstration of opposition parties and trade unions took place in front of Strakova Academy, for example, MP and ANO movement leader Andrej Babiš, KSČM leader Kateřina Konečná, SPD movement vice-leader Radim Fiala and ČMKOS leader Jozef Staredula. Speakers criticized current Prime Minister Peter Fiala’s (ODS) government for “anti-social politics” over pension devaluation and planned pension reform. In his speech, Andrej Babiš recalled the parliamentary blockades of the ANO and SPD movements, through which the parliamentary opposition tried to prevent a one-off cut in pensions, and called on employees to continue their protest actions. However, in addition to the content of individual speeches Attracted media attention A Prada cashmere jacket and a blue scarf with the KOVO union logo were also worn by Deputy Pope who came to the anti-government demonstration.
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Babis’ outfit sparked outrage on social media. Some users began to focus on the price of MP’s jacket, which was said to be up to 130,000 crowns, and contrasted it with Babiš’s declared fight for the rights of the poor. “Only in a cashmere jacket for his employee’s annual salary at a union protest,” commented one user on Twitter.
Steal his look!
In a trade union demonstration, only in a cashmere jacket for his employer’s annual salary. pic.twitter.com/CAUICfejIJ— Daniel Zeman (@DanielWZeman) March 29, 2023
“I’d be pissed off when a billionaire walks around on the cheap. But for him to take a 100k jacket to an event on stage mocking the government for living in ‘their palaces’ and having the lowest minimum wage in Europe is a bit much. But what do I know,” Reflex journalist Martin Bartkowski also ex-Prem. dug up The MEP for KDU-ČSL later shared the tweet and called it “good trolling”.
I’d be pissed off if a millionaire walked around on the cheap. But taking a jacket for 100k at an event where he mocks the government on stage saying he lives in “his castles” and we have the lowest minimum wage in Europe is a bit much. But what do I know??>? pic.twitter.com/PNUg6GgNA4
— Martin Bartkovsky (@bartkovskym) March 29, 2023
Good trolling?? https://t.co/IoJkMNdeF0
— Tomáš Zdechovsky (@TomasZdechovsky) March 29, 2023
Andrzej Babis, on the other hand, was defended by his colleague from the parliamentary club of the ANO movement, who wrote on Twitter in response to Bartkowski: “If he had bought a jacket from Primark, the editor would have written here that he is a billionaire. Artificially he turns himself into one of the speakers… This is a clear idea in advance for the editor. – Everything is wrong.”
By buying a jacket from Primark, the editor writes here, the billionaire is artificially making himself one of the talking heads…
This author has a clear idea in advance – everything is wrong https://t.co/CmGDfGVzPm— Patrik Nacher (@PatrikNacher) March 29, 2023
Among others, the leader of the ANO movement and former prime minister was criticized by the satirical TMBK account on the Internet, which shared on its Facebook page a photo collage depicting Andrzej Babis in a black Prada jacket with devil’s horns: “The Devil Wears Prada” refers to the 2006 American film.
Eventually, Andrej Babiš himself commented on the whole thing, sharing a short video on Facebook in which he shed more light on the origin of his clothes from Wednesday’s demonstration. “Here, the director of Prada behind me found me and found out that five years ago my wife gave me a jacket for Christmas that cost 35,000! Not 130, as the gentleman made it. Even today it costs only forty-seven,” says the vice-chancellor in a video filmed in front of the Prada store on Pariska Street. . “I’m sorry for appearing in this jacket, I love it and will wear it for a long time! Because I’m booked,” he allowed himself to be heard. He called his jacket very popular in the Czech Republic and warned that “the new mass media, which still only writes about papis”.
The MP said Babis’ critics are spreading jealousy, hatred and misinformation. Patrick Nacher spoke again. “Yesterday’s information about the price of the Prada jacket (135 thousand) worn by Babis at the demonstration is false. Among other things, it is misinformation to cause hatred and jealousy, or is this allowed?” he wrote on Facebook.
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Author: AKS
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