Opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) considers Friday’s decision of Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Petr Kmec (Hlas-SD) as clear proof that Hlasu-SD ministers are the most corrupt ministers of this government. This is how SaS reacted to the Prime Minister’s statement on the social network that he will ask President Petr Pellegrini for Kmec’s dismissal.
“After Zuzana Dolinková, this is the next Minister of Voice who has to leave. Moreover, Kmec abused his position. What we pointed out was confirmed – where Hlas rules, public finances disappear,” said the chairman of SaS, Branislav Gröhling. According to the liberals, it is not a coincidence, but a system in which money is being stolen from all of us.
“The case of the distribution of 200 million euros between companies connected to Hlas-SD, friends and advisers of the president or party sponsors even the Prime Minister could not ignore it. We call on the president to act immediately and approve the motion to dismiss Kmec without delay,” added Gröhling.
MP Veronika Remišová (Slovakia-For the People) described the Prime Minister’s decision as a success of the opposition’s pressure. “However, dismissing Petr Kmec is not enough, as he managed to sign contracts for 60 million euros. The contracts must be terminated, the stolen goods must be returned and the masterminds of this case brought to justice. That is why we are also filing a criminal complaint and will demand strict accountability.Remišová stated.
Several opposition parties reported on Friday that file criminal charges in connection with subsidy calls for research and development of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy of Petr Kmec (Hlas-SD). The criminal complaint of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) is aimed at the suspicion of committing the crime of abuse of authority of a public official, the crime of accepting a bribe and the crime of bribery by an unknown perpetrator or perpetrators.
The State Secretary of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy, Alena Sabelová, informed at a meeting with journalists on Friday that in the case of innovation challenges, an audit will begin, all scenarios are open for further progress. She confirmed that the contracts with the companies are suspended. Sabel has repeatedly rejected criticism of non-transparency.
