PS: Secret Services in Wrong Hands Pose Security Risk to Slovakia

Bratislava, September 19 (TASR) - When secret services are in the wrong hands, they pose a security risk for Slovakia, chairman of the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka stated in response to the indictment of two former heads of the Military Intelligence on Tuesday. "The secret services are tasked with the protection of Slovakia and its inhabitants, but when they're in the wrong hands, they're more of a security risk themselves. When their directors steal and lie, we'll lose the trust of allies and wind up in a place where they'll stop sharing important information with us," underlined Simecka. PS vice-chair Tomas Valasek underlined the need to change the way oversight is carried out with respect to the intelligence services and the National Security Authority (NBU). "The current system doesn't work. The same political parties that nominate heads of the secret services usually enjoy majorities on House committees that are supposed to supervise them. The way the system is currently set endangers public finances and, what's worse, directly undermines the security of the country," he added. Because of this, PS proposes to entrust supervision over the services to a special committee made up of lawmakers, representatives of the Supreme Audit Authority (NKU), public ombudsperson and the President's Office. In addition, the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) should be headed by an apolitical expert. As part of an operation nicknamed Virus, NAKA indicted 16 individuals and two legal entities, including former Military Intelligence heads Lubomir S. and Jan B. [names abbreviated due to legal reasons]. The case revolves around allegedly overpriced tenders conducted by the Military Intelligence in 2013-20, which caused Slovakia financial damage of at least €74 million. mf/mcs