Prosecutor: Disadvantageous Contracts in Toll Collector Case Equalled €65 Mn

Bratislava, June 24 (TASR) – The disadvantageous contracts for the state in the Toll Collector criminal case, concerning the procurement of IT systems for the Financial Administration, were worth more than €65 million, director of Special Prosecutor’s Office economic crime department Ondrej Repa announced at a press conference on Thursday.

Financial Administration President Jiri Zezulka, also present, added that his office verified and lodged a criminal lawsuit over another suspicious IT tender in the past worth €52 million.

A total of 14 individuals including former eminence grise of politics and tycoon Jozef B. have been charged in the Toll Collector case, with eight of them pleading guilty.

“Their confessions correspond to other pieces of evidence, testimonies from witnesses and evidence in writing,” added Repa.

Defendants in the Toll Collector case face charges of public tender and public auction manipulations and violation of duties while administering entrusted property.

Charges in the Toll Collector II case concern money laundering. “The charges are based on a rather extremely detailed analysis of account readouts, which enable the tracing of financial flows of resources from the Financial Administration,” added Repa.

A number of foreign companies were involved in the money laundering. “Relatively extensive corrupt activity is also included in the investigation. Current evidence indicates collaboration between top state representatives and business sector people as well as third-party individuals,” stated Repa.