BRATISLAVA, April 3, (WEBNOVINY) — In the second inspection carried out in Privatbanka, a bank owned by private equity group Penta, the Financial Police came across two more suspicious transactions, which according to departing Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic (KDH) are of unusual character [and had not been reported as such to respective authorities – SITA note]. The first transaction was a transfer of 3 million euros to a personal account for alleged bond sale that took place in a tax haven. The second suspicious transaction is a 4-million euro transfer from the Bratislava I Tax Office to an account of an unnamed company. Minister Lipsic announced that this was the second suspicious finding of the financial police, while for the first Privatbanka was already sanctioned. According to Lipsic, the bank can now be in danger of losing its license. “I would definitely consider filing such a motion to the National Bank of Slovakia to withdraw Privatbanka’s license,” Lipsic said, presenting his own private opinion.
He further said he was astounded by the approach of the Prosecution General’s Office after Privatbanka on March 27 lodged a motion against an unknown perpetrator for suspected abuse of powers of a public officer. On the very next day, the Prosecution General’s Office requested from inspectors with the Financial Police all documents concerning their findings in the bank. “I don’t know if their intention it was to intimidate the inspectors,” commented the minister.
In reaction to the news conference given by the interior minister, Privatbanka stated that it perceives it as an open attack against Privatbanka. “We are convinced that Mr. Lipsic acted based on incomplete, misinterpreted and erroneous conclusions,” stated Privatbanka’s CEO Lubos Sevcik. The bank categorically objects to conclusions of the second inspection carried out by the Financial Police in the bank, and the same applies to the first inspection. They consider the procedure as harassment and they plan to defend themselves in court.
SITA