Huliak: Slovakia Travel to be Investigated by NKU

Bratislava, May 30 (TASR) - The organization Slovakia Travel will be subject to investigation by the Supreme Audit Authority (NKU) regarding the Expo exhibition in Osaka, Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (independent) announced after a meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Friday. „On the second day after I took office at the ministry, I summoned the director of Slovakia Travel and received a detailed report on all forms of public procurement and the entire infrastructure related to Osaka," he said. „The originally planned €10.5 million, which was allocated for this purpose based on the size of the pavilion and the service it was supposed to offer in representing Slovakia in tourism and other areas, seemed questionable to me," he stated. As a result, the NKU will now investigate Slovakia Travel. „We had the entire legal audit checked in terms of procurement, and today we already have the results. We will probably face a fine of over €200,000 from the authority responsible for public procurement. We will definitely pursue criminal consequences as well, due to the failed procurement process, which had to switch to direct awarding because of time constraints," he clarified. „However, I want to assure the public that the costs have been reduced from the original €10.5 million to €4 million, and all matters related to Slovakia’s representation will now be procured and managed with the utmost focus on saving public funds. I will do everything possible to cut the original budget as much as possible," he declared. According to Huliak, most of the funds were spent on the pavilion, which he said cost €2.5 million. „All these matters are still under investigation and will certainly be looked into by law enforcement authorities," he added. He also noted that the Slovak pavilion does not represent the country abroad as it should. „If it were up to me, Osaka wouldn’t be happening. If we consider the funds used, which could have been directed toward exhibitions in neighboring countries in terms of tourism promotion, we would have achieved a much greater impact and influx of tourists than somewhere in Japan," the minister concluded. mf