Democrats: Interior Minister Should Quit, Police Misused for Political Struggle

Bratislava, May 16 (TASR) - The Democrats party is calling on Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) to quit his post for exceeding his powers and misusing the police for the sake of a political struggle, Democrats' deputy chairman Juraj Seliga told a press conference on Friday, criticising the minister for publishing an accusation against a member of their party even though he hadn't yet been informed of it. "Matus Sutaj Estok isn't managing his ministry. He's obviously under political pressure from [Premier] Robert Fico [Smer-SD] and from within the Voice party, where his chair is shaking, so he's looking for ways to please the public and the Smer-SD party. We absolutely reject misusing the police for the sake of a political struggle," stated Seliga. "I'm asking, where are we and where is it regulated in the Penal Code or the Code of Criminal Procedure or the law on misdemeanours that the interior minister can announce via social networks who is being accused without the person even having received the information?" he stressed. Democrats again deny that their member was spreading hate speech at an opposition protest. The man, according to Seliga, has cooperated with the police. "The matter was wrapped up as a misdemeanour, according to our information, meaning that it wasn't a crime," he said, adding that their member was speaking in a metaphor in the video. "It was his political message, and he isn't calling for any violence against Robert Fico at all," he added. Sutaj Estok on Thursday (May 15) reported on an accusation against a man who allegedly threatened Prime Minister Robert Fico in a video. The Democrats claim that his speech was about the premier's political downfall and his government. "Sutaj Estok has no business here, and he should resign for the way in which he misuses the Police Corps and for the way in which he exceeds all the powers given to the interior minister," added Seliga. The police have accused the man in question of engaging in incitement, along with another person for the same misdemeanour. The two men have only been identified only as P.L. (47) and P.P. (65). am/df