Kalinak: No-confidence Motion Just an Attempt to Score Political Points

Bratislava, May 30 (TASR) – The Opposition attempt to oust me over the tax case of Ladislav Basternak is nothing but an effort to score political points, Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said on Monday.

“Once again, the Opposition has created an impression of themselves as a group of people who can only throw dirt at others,” claimed Kalinak, who perceives the no-confidence proposal as an attempt to receive attention rather than genuinely help people. “They haven’t given us even the standard 100 days in office to demonstrate what we want and what we’re capable to do for this country. On the contrary, their motions cut in to the time we need for the difficult preparation of Slovakia for the (Council of Europe) Presidency,” underlined Kalinak.

Kalinak stressed that he has never intervened with any investigation because such a course of action would constitute a violation of the Slovak Constitution. He pointed out that the investigator is fully independent and it is the Prosecutor’s Office that oversees the legality of the investigation. “This pseudo-case emerged four years ago and they are bringing it up now because, other than slandering, they’re incapable of coming up with any sensible motion to improve the country,” said Kalinak.

Earlier in the day, Opposition parties Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and OLaNO-NOVA announced their intention to initiate a no-confidence motion against Kalinak. The plan for them is to submit the required 30 MP’s signatures on Friday, June 3, and subsequently an extraordinary Parliamentary session will have to be convened within seven calendar days.

The case revolves around the Bratislava apartment complex called Five Star Residence, built by a company owned by entrepreneur Marian Kocner. Basternak’s firm allegedly purchased seven flats at €12 million and subsequently applied for and received excessive VAT tax allowance worth €2 million.