BRATISLAVA, December 28, (WEBNOVINY) — The Anticorruption Office of the Police Corps accused two officials of the Defense Ministry of abuse of powers of a public official and machinations in the process of public procurement. Accusations concern the notorious case of businessman Miroslav D., who mediated communication between bidders in public tenders and the accused officials. The police discovered that the officials abused their powers and infringed terms of public tenders since July of 2009. They adjusted terms for state orders so that they could assign them to private companies agreed in advance, for what one of them required and accepted a bribe of EUR 3,300. The Anticorruption Office accused Miroslav D. of machinations in public procurement and public auction back in August of this year. Spokeswoman of the Police Corps Presidium Andrea Dobiasova informed SITA news agency that the accused are prosecuted without being into custody.
The Ministry of Defense carries out several dozens of public procurements annually. The man, who worked as a deputy director of the administration and maintenance at the Ministry of Defense at the incriminated time influenced directors of individual garrison administrations from his position of an announcer and organizer of public procurements. He determined a tender winner in advance. He even selected other companies that were to be addressed to submit a price bid. He also communicated with representatives of companies via Miroslav D. The companies thus knew that they should inflate their prices and manipulate their bids. The determined company was thus selected a tender winner. The accused official inflated the tender prices by at least EUR 1.73 million in this way. The deputy director of the administration and maintenance of the Ministry of Defense also asked for and accepted a bribe from a tender applicant. He promised the company for a bribe of EUR 3,300 that it would win although it would not meet the tender terms. An investigator of the Anticorruption Office accused the deputy director of machinations in public procurement, accepting a bribe, and abuse of powers of a public official. If convicted, he may face a prison sentence of seven to twelve years.
A director of the garrison administration of buildings of the Ministry of Defense proceeded similarly in the same period. She knew the terms a company had to meet to win a tender. She also communicated with tender applicants via Miroslav D. The director abused her powers and provided important information and documents to a representative of the applicant and thus favored the company over other applicants. The overall value of manipulated orders totals at least EUR 48,700. Investigator of the Anticorruption Office has accused the director of machinations in public procurement and abuse of powers of a public official. If convicted, she may face a prison term of two to eight years.
SITA
