Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš became the target of social media users who didn’t hesitate to mock him after he announced that he bought an expensive globe to see where… Greenland is located.
“I bought this globe for 15,000 crowns (617 euros), a nice, big globe, to see exactly where Greenland is located,” Babiš told journalists when asked about his government’s position on the American president’s ambitions regarding this autonomous territory of Denmark.
On Tuesday, the self-proclaimed “Trumpist” billionaire went even further in a video he posted on Facebook, praising the globe compared to “flat” maps that he claims distort geographical reality.
“On this beautiful globe we can see the real size of Greenland compared to the US and Europe. And nearby is Russia and, if there were some conflict, God forbid, the missile wouldn’t need to go far,” he added.
Public backlash over Czech PM’s globe purchase
Social media users didn’t spare him and quickly mocked him, both for the price of the globe—ten times higher than what such items usually cost in the Czech Republic (400-1,000 crowns)—and for his statements.
“Scammers strike again. They sold a globe to a naive retiree for 15,000 crowns,” reads the caption of a political cartoon. User “BezeLzi” (Without Lies) on platform X suggests Babiš should look for Ukraine on his globe “to learn how close the war is.” The Czech prime minister seeks to reduce the aid his country sends to Kyiv.
According to Ondřej Švenda, a spokesperson for the price comparison website Heureka, Czechs have been searching for globes online in recent days. “Since Monday we recorded a 420% increase” in such searches, he commented.
The 71-year-old Babiš returned to power in December, heading a coalition government between his party, ANO, the right-wing “Motorists’ Voice” and the far-right SPD.
