Committee Expresses Confidence in NAKA over Charges against Fico
Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) – Members of the parliamentary defence and security committee have expressed their confidence in the procedures carried out by the National Crime Agency (NAKA) in pressing charges against Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico, committee head Anton Hrnko (Slovak National Party/SNS) stated following a session of the committee on Tuesday.
Committee member and non-affiliated MP Lubomir Galko evaluated the committee session negatively, however, stating that Smer-SD MPs sought to intimidate the prosecutor, looking into his studies and career. Galko considers this to be inadmissible.
“All members of the committee have clearly expressed their confidence in the procedures chosen by NAKA, as well as the Police Corps in all the issues relating to these matters. As the case hasn’t yet been concluded, I won’t discuss this further,” said Hrnko.
The committee chair added that Police Corps President Milan Lucansky explained all the procedural matters concerning the charge. Hrnko also said that the prosecutor-general was also invited to the committee session, but he didn’t come as he doesn’t want to comment on a case that hasn’t been concluded.
“I won’t allow any unlawful actions under my leadership,” stressed Lucansky, refusing to comment on the circumstances and political statements regarding the accusation against Fico.
Galko pointed out that Smer-SD MPs came to the committee without a resolution. “They didn’t know what they wanted apart from wanting to intimidate the investigators and especially the prosecutor. I find it absolutely inadmissible to present arguments that they should have waited until after the [2020 general] election and not [taken action] three months before the election and that this shouldn’t be done to a former three-times premier,” he said.
The convening of the committee was initiated by Smer-SD MPs in order to inquire into the circumstances of the charges brought against Fico. They claimed that the charges are part of an attack against the party as well as the person of its chairman.
A NAKA investigator pressed charges against Fico in connection with comments that he made following the conviction of former LSNS MP Milan Mazurek for his statements on Roma. The NAKA investigator charged the ex-premier with three crimes – defaming a race, nation and belief, inciting national, racial and ethnic hatred and endorsing a crime.
