SNS: President Should Publish List of People on Board Government Aircraft to USA

Bratislava, 24 September (TASR) - The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) is calling on Slovak President Peter Pellegrini to publish a list of the people on board the official government aircraft that took him to the United States, plus one for the return flight, TASR was told by SNS spokesperson Zuzana Skopcova on Wednesday. Responding to statements made by the head of state, SNS also admitted that it didn't know the details of the agenda of Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (an SNS nominee) during her trip to the USA, noting that this information could be sought from the ministry's press department. However, according to SNS, her agenda consists of both working and private activities. In addition, SNS said that Pellegrini refused to take several ministers visiting the USA on board the government aircraft. "However, we'd prefer to know why, as part of consolidation, [Pellegrini] ordered the purchase of a villa in [the Bratislava borough of] Palisady for the Interior Ministry and whether he ever took his sister on board the aircraft," stated SNS. SNS leader Andrej Danko said earlier on Tuesday (23 September) that Pellegrini should not refuse to take government ministers on board the official government aircraft. He added that criticism directed at Simkovicova over her trip to the United States was unfair. In his response to Danko's statements, the head of state said that "every minister with an official programme during the UN session is welcome on board." He also expects Danko to explain the purpose of Simkovicova's trip. The President's Office added that the only minister who is part of Slovakia's delegation to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York is Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), along with his close team. Health Minister Kamil Sasko and Education Minister Tomas Drucker (both Voice-SD) attended the opening of the general debate of the UN General Assembly session, but they are leaving the USA on a different date. Minister Simkovicova wrote on social media that she took part in the 47th Slovak Heritage Festival in New Jersey on Sunday (21 September), which was also attended by President Pellegrini as part of his official visit to the United States. Last Friday (19 September), the Stop Corruption Foundation reported via social media that the Culture Ministry had booked flights to New York for Minister Simkovicova and the ministry's head of communications, Petra Demkova. According to the foundation, the tickets cost the ministry nearly €16,000. jrg/df