SaS: PPA Must Be Completely Rebuilt, Both in Terms of Personnel and Processes

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has criticised subsidies worth millions of euros for the construction of private villas for people close to Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) government. According to the party, the Agricultural Payments Agency (PPA) must be completely rebuilt, and a parliamentary inquiry into PPA should be only the first step. SaS opined that the situation at PPA has reached a point that requires a radical solution. "PPA is today a symbol of corruption and non-transparency. This institution has lost the public's trust - it needs to be completely rebuilt, not only in terms of personnel but also in terms of processes. Until that happens, corruption will continue to flourish. Moreover, it is telling how Prime Minister Robert Fico and Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) have remained silent on the whole matter of the villas. It's obvious that they're covering not only the group around [entrepreneur Norbert] Bodor, but also themselves," said SaS chairman Branislav Groehling. "PPA must be figuratively speaking demolished and rebuilt. Otherwise, we won't get rid of the octopus that has made its den there. What's happening there is sick, corrupt and riddled with an unprecedented insolence," said MP Alojz Hlina (SaS), adding that SaS has been drawing attention to serious problems at the institution for more than a year and a half, and facts are now coming to light that confirm all the warnings. am/df