BRATISLAVA, August 18, (WEBNOVINY) – Former external aide to the prime minister for economy Martin Novotny, accused in the Osrblie corruption scandal, has been in police custody. The investigator from the Office for Fight Against Corruption submitted a proposal to take Novotny into custody on Thursday. Novotny was detained and accused already midweek, after returning from the United States. As Police Presidium spokeswoman Denisa Baloghova told SITA, he is accused of indirect corruption connected to suspicion of corruption in providing a grant for completion of the Osrblie national biathlon complex. After he was accused, the police searched his residential premises and offices where computers were confiscated; Novotny was interrogated later. Former Slovak Ambassador to Kenya Igor Liska, businessman Peter Knazik and a fourth man stand accused in the case as well. They could be sentenced to up to three years.
The four are charged in the case of corruption connected to construction of the Osrblie national biathlon complex. The Ministries of Finance and Education as well as the Cabinet provided a EUR 1.6-million subsidy for completing the complex, of which the accused tried to acquire a 10-percent kickback from the company building the facility. The police say that the bribe was handed over on July 29 in Martin Novotny’s firm.
SITA
