SaS and PS Demand Kuffa's Ouster, Taraba Hasn't Announced His Dismissal

Bratislava, April 15 (TASR) - The opposition parties Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and Progressive Slovakia (PS) are demanding the resignation of Environment Ministry State Secretary Filip Kuffa, reproaching him for his behaviour in national parks. Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) hasn't announced Kuffa's ouster, declaring that the state secretary goes to the field in terms of his work. Kuffa himself sees nothing illegal in his behaviour. SaS called on the government to dismiss Kuffa. "Filip Kuffa's behaviour is unacceptable and inexcusable. After flying in a helicopter over the Mala Fatra National Park in an area where rare eagles and falcons nest, he rode a quad bike in the Poloniny National Park. Such driving without permission is a crime," said MP for SaS Alojz Hlina. House agriculture and environment committee vice-chairwoman Tamara Stohlova (PS) thinks that the minister should ask Kuffa to pack his things and leave the ministry. "We have dozens of experts in Slovakia who care about our nature and would approach their duties responsibly and with humility," she said. The environment minister confirmed that Kuffa goes to the national parks as part of his work. He didn't know the details, referring to a meeting of the parliamentary committee where Kuffa should explain his behaviour. Taraba, in his own words, asked that the committee be opened up. State Secretary Filip Kuffa explained that he goes to the field in relation to the planned zoning to find consensus with the affected entities. He denies that he has violated any law. In the future, he said, he will also have no problem getting on a quad bike, a jeep, a snowmobile, a horse or going on foot to inaccessible places. "I'll be going through these places with the owners to assess directly in the field whether those conservation demands that have been made are justified," he said in a video posted on a social network. Kuffa is expected to explain the circumstances of the helicopter flight over the territory of the Mala Fatra mountains at an extraordinary session of the House agriculture and environment committee on Tuesday (April 16), which was initiated by opposition MPs. am/mcs