Sutaj Estok Tells Kmec to Suspend Controversial Innovation Calls (2)

Bratislava, 13 November (TASR) - Voice-SD party leader and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok has instructed Vice-premier for the Recovery Plan and a Knowledge-based Economy Peter Kmec (Voice-SD) to suspend controversial innovation calls that have raised doubts as to whether the allocation of money has been transparent, Sutaj Estok himself has posted on a social network. "I've instructed Vice-premier Kmec to suspend and examine the innovation calls that have raised doubts immediately. It must be absolutely clear that the entire process was carried out in a transparent and professional manner and without any influencing," wrote Sutaj Estok. Several opposition politicians have pointed to the controversial evaluation of calls for contracts. They claimed that the money was allocated to Voice-SD sponsors and garage firms. Alena Sabelova, State Secretary of the Vice-premier's Office for Recovery Plan and Knowledge-based Economy, repeatedly rejected such criticism. After the opposition Progressive Slovakia party claimed that a company called Grizzly Capital, which was supposed to receive €3 million, has financial and personnel ties to a firm that is one of the sponsors of Voice-SD, the company responded on Wednesday (11 November) by objecting to being drawn into a political dispute. The opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) party stated that the public deserves answers, not just the suspension of calls for project proposals. According to PS, the government's decision to halt the calls is not an act of responsibility. “The suspension of calls for support in robotics and automation, issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy, led by Peter Kmec, is not a heroic act but merely an admission of Voice-SD's rackets,” said Jan Hargas (PS). The party has called on Kmec to immediately publish all information related to these calls — particularly the list of evaluators, the method of their selection, minutes from the selection process, project evaluations, assessment sheets, and the points awarded. “If he fails to do so, we will initiate a parliamentary inquiry at his office,” Hargas added. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final three paragraphs ko/mf