Voice-SD Claims Progressive Slovakia Connected to State Funds

Bratislava, 3 December (TASR) - The coalition Voice-SD party accused the strongest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia (PS), of attempting to cover up its own mistakes with the Peter Kmec case, including raising the issue of the so-called Benes Decrees. Voice-SD also drew attention to the dependence of some members of the PS leadership on the state budget. "Peter Kmec [former deputy premier for the recovery plan and a knowledge-based economy, who recently resigned] is a man who thwarted Progressive Slovakia's plans, and it wasn't just once," Voice-SD MP Michal Bartek told a press conference on Wednesday. According to him, PS sought to stop funding from the recovery plan, but Kmec thwarted these efforts. "Progressive Slovakia is not a party that wants to do good just for the sake of it, but it is a party that has been connected to state money for years, was created from state money, and is fundamentally dependent on it," claimed Bartek, citing as an example Michaela Krskova and MP Ivan Stefunko in connection with the Neulogy Ventures investment fund set up to support startups, as well as MPs Michal Truban, Jan Hargas and Zora Jaurova. They allegedly obtained state funds through IT companies or from the Arts Support Fund. "Progressive Slovakia was created solely as a well-thought-out hub whose main agenda is grants, subsidies, and calls for proposals. The top representatives of Progressive Slovakia have obtained hundreds of millions of euros from the state, either directly through themselves or through their family members," added Bartek. am