BRATISLAVA, August 17, (WEBNOVINY) – Former external aide to the prime minister for economy Martin Novotny has been already accused in the Osrblie corruption scandal, informed Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic at a briefing they had together with Prime Minister Iveta Radicova on Wednesday evening. Earlier this day, opposition SMER-SD head Robert Fico said that Radicova knew of the corruption. The prime minister is incompetent, a liar and suspected of corruption, he insisted. “I do not believe that Radicova did not know of the corruption, that she did not know of the collection of one tenth [from the deal’s value as corruption],” said Fico.
The prime minister considers Fico’s presentation an excellent example of hysteria. Radicova said that although fighting the corruption is among her government ‚s priorities, they are not illusionists who could claim full victory over it. She also said that there are two ways how a prime minister can react in the event that a corruption case comes to light, either by acting and informing both the police and the public, or by not acting – and her government deal with every case, without taking regard on what office the perpetrator holds. This government does not brush scandals under the rug, she added.
Radicova thinks that Fico behaved in the second possible way when he was prime minister, telling the reporters off, not responding, behaving as if nothing happened for six months, refusing to finalize the investigation and even defending some of the deals. The prime minister said she does not really feel a need to reply to “these hysterical stocks of lies,” adding that not she but Fico was the one Slovak prime minister to be nearest to corruption. She hinted at the recording featuring a voice similar to Fico’s claiming that he managed to acquire off-record funds for the party with his own head. The prime minister would consider it proper for Fico now to explain this infamous recording.
Iveta Radicova also considers claims of lawyer Fico that in line with the Civil Code the name of the company should be a part of contracts on subventions to be a direct manual for corruption. She considers this absurd and in conflict with the law. Radicova also advised her predecessor to calm down and stop lying and spreading hatred throughout the country.
SITA