BRATISLAVA, November 24, (WEBNOVINY) — Opposition SMER-SD MP Robert Kalinak and former Interior Minister will file a motion with the Prosecution General Office due to wiretapping of the Pravda daily reporter Vanda Vavrova. Kalinak claimed that former Defense Minister Lubomir Galko is accountable for several criminal offenses and he exceeded his powers of a public official by allowing the Military Counterintelligence Service (VOS) to „illegally“ wiretap Vavrova and her phone calls with Kalinak, and then archiving these recording. “SaS Deputy Chairman Lubomir Galko once again introduces 1950s Czechoslovak secret service-like manners and grossly, through a keyhole, illegally spies on reporters and politicians,” said Kalinak at his news conference on Thursday. He, in addition, claims that it was Galko who leaked the transcripts of the phone calls to the media.
According to the opposition MP, the wiretapping was illegal as no official secrets were discussed in phone calls with the reporter. Kalinak also indirectly admitted that the contents of leaked transcripts were authentic, also adding that he did not always use only polite words, but considers this irrelevant. “What is relevant is the monstrosity of SaS Deputy Chairman Mr. Galko’s actions as he without legal background eavesdropped politicians, reporters and eventually even his own bodyguards,” underlined Kalinak.
Kalinak said that according to his information, Vavrova was spied upon in two waves. When VOS asked the judge to prolong his permission to monitor her, they allegedly used false reasoning, lying to the judge informing him that they acquired information indicating a threat to official secrets and that the reporter should have communicated with individuals from VOS or from the Ministry of Defense. “Wiretapping permission was prolonged on the basis of this request. If you read those materials, you would know there was no such information,” he emphasized. Kalinak also said that that VOS elaborated a file on Vavrova containing records on acquired information, yet such records are only allowed to be made if they are intended for use as evidence in criminal prosecution. “You’ll find there anything, but only hardly a criminal offense,” noted Kalinak, stating that there were two transcripts not included in the file. These should come directly from Galko, whom Kalinak accuses of leaking the wiretap transcripts to the media.
Galko considers the information Kalinak published at his press conference to be a confession that he in fact runs the Pravda daily. He also said that Kalinak admitted he has at least one complete file from VOS. “We finally know who is behind this dirty game against SaS party,” claimed Galko, adding that Kalinak’s confessions could help with finding out how the information from secret services are leaked. Galko also refused any accusations of publishing or intentionally leaking transcripts of wiretapped phone calls, but he says he would be interested to find out how Kalinak acquired a secret service file and how he dares to show it on camera. “I’ve never seen an open file, not a single one,” said Galko.
According to this Thursday’s daily SME, Kalinak pushed to Vavrova to write on issues such as Galko’s speeding. Neither Kalinak nor Vavrova denied authenticity of the recordings. Pravda Editor-in-chief Nora Sliskova wrote that they show VOS played the role of „political police“ under Minister Galko who was removed from office on November 23. She denied any political influence of any party on the content of the newspaper she is heading.
SITA