Ex-minister Mikulec: Sutaj Estok Lives in Alternate Reality

Bratislava, 28 December (TASR) - Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) lives in a completely different reality from the citizens of Slovakia and mocks them with statistics in which he claims everything is fine, even though, in reality, crime is rising and public safety is declining, former interior minister [2020-23] and MP Roman Mikulec ('Slovakia'-For the People) has told TASR in an interview. Mikulec spoke in response to personnel police statistics presented by the minister. "He talks about how he has stabilised the Police Corps, and I ask: why then did police officers together with trade unionists hold a protest with black ribbons in front of Parliament, something that has never happened before? He claims he has improved their conditions, and I ask why firefighters are dissatisfied, warning that apart from two dilapidated vehicles they have received absolutely nothing," Mikulec said. According to Mikulec, mountain rescuers and other services are also in poor condition. "Matus Sutaj Estok presented some statistics and theories, making a mockery of people," the former interior minister said. As he added, Sutaj Estok is in effect telling citizens that they merely suffer from a "wrong mindset". "Saying that you managed to recruit more police officers is commendable, but in the end we will see whether this helps replace those senseless gendarmes pushed on you by [Defence] Minister Robert Kalinak," Mikulec said, adding that people can see what is happening in the Police Corps and at the Interior Ministry. mf