Pandora Papers a worry for Czech PM Babis ahead of election

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis is heading into a parliamentary election this week hit by yet another scandal that links him and hundreds of other wealthy people to offshore accounts.

Findings by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists dubbed the “Pandora Papers” shed light on how the elite and the corrupt used offshore accounts to shield their assets from taxes or to hide ill-gotten gains.

Here's a look at the previously hidden dealings making waves in the Czech Republic and the country's election taking place on Friday and Saturday:

WHAT DID BABIS DO?

In 2009, Babis, a populist billionaire, put $22 million into shell companies to buy 16 properties in southern France, including a chateau, the investigation found. They were not disclosed in Babis’ required asset declarations, according to documents obtained by the journalism group’s Czech partner, Investigace.cz.

Babis has denied any wrongdoing and alleged that the recent revelation was meant to harm him in the election.

“I don’t own any offshore. I don’t own any property in France,” he said. “It’s nasty, false accusations that are meant to influence the election. That’s all.”

The Czech Republic's organized crime police unit said it would investigate the situation. The country's political opposition is demanding that Babis prove his actions were in line with law.

WHAT'S THE POLITICAL SITUATION?

Babis, 67, has had a turbulent term featuring numerous scandals, but all public polls favor his centrist ANO (YES) movement to win the election with about 25% of the vote.

Five opposition parties with policies closer to the European Union’s mainstream have put aside their differences to create two coalitions aimed at ousting the euroskeptic...