Premier: If Opposition Tries to Oust Gaspar, We'll File Motion to Remove Dubeci

        Bratislava, 1 June (TASR) - The sole reason for the attempt to remove House Vice-Chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) is to divert attention from the scandal involving the mother of opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka, stated Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) in a video posted on social media on Monday, describing the motion for the dismissal as an opposition spectacle for which the opposition doesn't have enough votes.
        The premier also noted that if the opposition proceeds with Gaspar's ouster, the coalition will file a motion to dismiss PS Parliamentary Chair Martin Dubeci. Fico stated that Dubeci led the presidential campaign of former candidate Radoslav Prochazka and "used strange methods to finance it". Fico also rejected the Purgatory scandal.
        "As is being reported, the opposition is preparing to remove Tibor Gaspar from his post as parliamentary vice-chair. This is because he's a defendant in the Purgatory case. The Purgatory case is a manipulated and illegal attempt to get rid of Tibor Gaspar," stated the prime minister in the video, adding that this claim is based on the fact that the investigators and the supervising prosecutor in this case are being prosecuted for the abuse of power and violations of the law.
        "Despite this absurd situation, in which Tibor Gaspar must be protected at all costs, the opposition is coming at him like a pack of hyenas with a motion to remove him from office. Of course, the only reason for this distasteful opposition spectacle is the Simecka family's embezzlement and leeching off public funds," said Fico, pointing to a case concerning deficiencies in the use of public subsidies by a civil association called Project Forum, which is backed by the PS leader's mother.
        The premier emphasised that the numbers in Parliament won't allow Gaspar's removal. "The opposition doesn't have enough votes for such an immoral move. However, if they go ahead with it anyway, we'll submit a motion to dismiss the PS House vice-chair, Mr. Dubeci. He led Mr. Prochazka's presidential campaign and used strange methods to finance it. So strange, in fact, that Mr. Prochazka himself called him out and linked him to black money bypassing the transparent [bank] account," he stated.
        The no-confidence vote in Gaspar was initiated by PS, which also intends to do so at every parliamentary session, arguing that Gaspar mustn't serve as the face of Parliament and must step down due to the charges against him. PS refers primarily to the Purgatory case, emphasising that Gaspar is charged with serious acts of corruption and with organising a criminal group "at the very heart of the police".
        Gaspar, like the prime minister, claims that the attempt to remove him is an effort to cover up the scandal involving Simecka's mother. He's also spoken of opposition and media hysteria directed at him. He emphasised on Monday that he received nearly 140,000 votes in the parliamentary election despite facing three charges at the time. According to him, some of these charges have already been dismissed as unlawful.