Czechs message at revolution march

Protesters in Prague mark the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Photo / AP

About a quarter of a million Czechs gathered on the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution that brought an end to decades of communist rule in the country to give Prime Minister Andrej Babis an ultimatum: sell your business or quit your job.

Protesters from across the Czech Republic attended yesterday's demonstration, the second massive protest opposing Babis at Letna park, the scene of massive gatherings in 1989 that greatly contributed to the fall of communism.

The demonstrators see the populist billionaire and his ally, pro-Russian President Milos Zeman as a threat to democracy. They have given Babis a deadline of December 31 to get rid of his business and media empire or resign.

Babis was required to transfer ownership of his businesses, which include a conglomerate of about 250 companies and two major newspapers to two trust funds in February 2017.

But his critics, including Transparency International, say he still maintains control, and a preliminary European Union report leaked to media concluded the same, saying Babis is in a position to influence the EU subsidies companies receive.

Babis denies wrongdoing and says there's no reason for him to resign.

More than 250,000 were at the previous rally at the same place in June, which was considered the biggest anti-government protest since the end of communism.

"Resign, resign," the crowd chanted, facing a banner on the big stage that read "We want healthy democracy".

Babis also faces allegations he collaborated with Czechoslovakia's secret police before 1989, and has been criticised for his government's power-sharing deal he signed in July last year that gave the Communist Party a role in governing for the first time since the Velvet Revolution.

- AP