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Special Prosecutors to Interview Meciar
Wednesday 31 March 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, March 31 (TASR) - Co-ruling LS-HZDS party chief Vladimir Meciar will give evidence to special prosecutors concerning his statements last week that Construction and Regional Development Ministry officials go up and down Slovakia collecting personal payments of 15-30 percent from the recipients of subsidies, Prosecutor-General Dobroslav Trnka confirmed on Wednesday.
The revelations were made by Meciar on Friday when referring to the scandal involving the shady sales of Slovakia's carbon-dioxide emission quotas by the Environment Ministry. Meciar, referring to several mayors as sources, said that payments for subsidies are a long-standing practice, putting those who observe the law at a disadvantage.
Meciar stopped short of naming names on Friday. "My party isn't involved. There are three parties making up the Government. There is no such knowledge of Smer-SD (being involved). Only one remains," he said, implying the Slovak National Party (SNS), which controls the Construction Ministry and used to run the Environment Ministry as well.
According to Trnka, special prosecutors have acted promptly to corruption-related leads, and want Meciar to reveal the names of the mayors mentioned in his remarks.
Agriculture Minister Vladimir Chovan (LS-HZDS), who heads a ministry that also awards subsidies, denied that his employees have collected any payments, and said that if he were aware of any such case he would report it to the police.
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