Mikulec: I Don't Know Matej Z., Fico Is Spreading Conspiracy Theories

Bratislava, August 19 (TASR) – I don’t know ‘Takacovci’ gang member Matej Z. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] and we’ve never met, Interior Minister Roman Mikulec (OLaNO) stated in response to an allegation made by head of the opposition Smer-SD party Robert Fico that he repeatedly visited Matej Z. at his flat in order to coordinate testimonies in pending corruption cases.

According to the minister, Fico is spreading conspiracy theories and connecting the unconnectable. Smer-SD is due to submit a motion on Monday, August 23 to convene an extraordinary session of Parliament at which it wants to oust Mikulec.

“We’ve never met at the address where he allegedly lives or anywhere else. It’s just an unheard wish of MP Fico,” said Mikulec in connection with the fact that he doesn’t know Matej Z. According to him, Fico is “a perfect example of a bankrupt politician”. “It’s really fascinating to observe Fico’s moral flexibility and, let’s say, certain level of boldness when he points his finger at others while he himself lived [in a flat owned by] convicted tax fraudster Ladislav Basternak, and people close to him are either in custody or have had an arrest warrant issued against them,” said the minister.

Smer-SD plans to table a motion on Monday (August 23) to convene an extraordinary House session aimed at ousting Mikulec. The party doesn’t want to wait until September, the date to which the session on Mikulec’s ouster was originally postponed.

Matej Z. is one of the three witnesses in high-profile cases who face charges of providing false testimonies. A crackdown on them by an Internal Affairs Inspectorate team was interrupted by an order from the Police Corps president, and Matej Z. managed to escape. Fico is convinced that the order to interrupt the operation originated from Mikulec.
Matej Z. is supposed to be in Croatia, where he’s asked for political asylum. He’s stated his willingness to testify via a video conference.