Glvac: Entire Smer-SD Caucus Supports Minister Kalinak

Glvac: Entire Smer-SD Caucus Supports Minister Kalinak

Bratislava, June 16 (TASR) – All 49 Smer-SD MPs fully stand behind their partymate Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, Smer-SD caucus chairman Martin Glvac told journalists after the caucus session on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Robert Fico and Interior Minister Kalinak were also present at the session, but chose not to speak with representatives of the media.

“After we heard him out and familiarised ourselves with the evidence he submitted, we consider this case at the moment to be just a media ploy and the product of politicking,” said Glvac. When asked why Smer-SD officials resigned in late 2014 when faced with suspicions in the CT scan case in the past and why there is a different approach now, Glvac replied that the resignations were premature. “Back then, it was the personal decision of (former parliamentary chairman) Pavol Paska (to resign) and I would have been the first one to talk him out of it if facts that are known now had been known then,” he said.

Glvac also insists that Kalinak has never intervened into the investigation. “That he has also proven to us. He hasn’t seen Mr. Basternak in maybe four years. He showed us banking accounts and I and my colleagues consider this to be adequate for the moment,” claimed Glvac, adding that he personally knows Ladislav Basternak as well. “I met him many times at Donovaly (ski centre).”

The coalition intends to draft a number of measures to prevent such political manoeuvring regarding suspicions in the future. “There might be suspicions, but processes cannot work in this way that media and Opposition serve as investigators, prosecutors and judges at the same time. We need to trust law enforcement bodies,” underlined Glvac.