Sutaj Estok: I Didn't Break Law in Connection with Suspension of Investigators

        Bratislava, November 5 (TASR) - Reacting to the initiative of the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, whose MPs want to initiate a no-confidence vote in Parliament in him, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) said on Sunday he insists that he didn't break the law when he suspended several police investigators.
        "I'll be happy to explain to PS MPs in Parliament that according to the law on the state service of police officers, I'm obliged to suspend any police officer who is reasonably suspected of breaking the law. So, if anyone violated this law, it was the previous interior ministers, because they did not act - however, the 'progressives' didn't mind this at all," said the minister, stressing that under his leadership the law will be followed and will apply to everyone in the police. He refuses to tolerate any privileges.
        MP Michal Truban (PS) said on TV Markiza's politics talk show 'Na telo' (Tough Questions) earlier on Sunday that his party wants to initiate an extraordinary parliamentary session with a no-confidence vote in Minister Sutaj Estok.
Sutaj Estok suspended the team of six officers centred around Jan Curilla in late October. The minister pointed to a law that requires a police officer to be suspended from duty if he or she is suspected of committing a criminal offence. Police officers' lawyer Peter Kubina called the minister's order invalid, noting that such a move requires the approval of the Whistleblower Protection Office as the investigators enjoyed the status of protected whistleblowers.