SUMMARY-Friday-February 22, 2019 - 10 p.m.

BRATISLAVA - Police reject any notion of outside interference with its investigation, TASR learnt from Police Corps Presidium on Friday with respect to President Andrej Kiska's allegations of Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico misusing the police and public institutions in his fight against the head of state. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) has never made public comments on confidential talks between constitutional officials and will never do so, Prime Minister's spokesperson Patricia Macikova said on Friday. BRATISLAVA - KTAG official identified due to legal reasons only as Eduard K., who faces charges of illegitimate VAT refund, appealed against his indictment, TASR learnt from Prosecutor-General's spokesperson Andrea Predajnova on Friday. BRATISLAVA - If law enforcement bodies learn of a relevant suspicion of a crime, it is their legal duty to take action, lawyer representing KTAG Daniel Lipsic pointed out after President Andrej Kiska's press conference on Friday. BRATISLAVA - Leader of junior coalition Most-Hid party and Parliamentary Vice-chair Bela Bugar is starting to loose patience with the fact that whenever two constitutional officials quarrel, it falls to him to mediate and settle the conflict, TASR learnt on Friday. BRATISLAVA - Smer-SD chair Robert Fico rejects allegations of blackmail raised against him by President Andrej Kiska, TASR learnt on Friday. BRATISLAVA - Head of Smer-SD Robert Fico stated at a press conference held on Friday that Italian prosecutors categorically excluded the possibility that the Calabrian Prosecutor's Office might have any information about the alleged call between Fico and Italian businessman Antonino Vadala. BRATISLAVA - The criminal prosecution of an official representing KTAG, a firm affiliated with me, is Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico's vengeance against me for denying him a political pension at the Constitutional Court, President Andrej Kiska told journalists at a press conference on Friday. BRATISLAVA - Transport Minister Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) and Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan held talks on Friday regarding the renewal of rail transport between Kosice and Mukachevo, TASR was informed by spokesperson of the Transport Ministry Karolina Ducka. BRATISLAVA - Presidential candidate Zuzana Caputova has stated that she will behave responsibly if there is a risk that her opponents Maros Sefcovic and Stefan Harabin get into the second round of the presidential election. BRATISLAVA - Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gabriela Matecna (Slovak National Party/SNS) has ordered the chief veterinarian to carry out an emergency measure regarding the import of beef from Poland, the Agriculture Ministry stated on the same day. mf