PS: Gaspar Could Exploit Office to Help Himself in Own Criminal Case

Bratislava, 17 March (TASR) – The main reason why Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) should be ousted from the post of parliamentary vice-chair is concern that he could misuse his position to assist himself in his criminal case, stated opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party leader Michal Simecka in the run-up to a special parliamentary session with a motion to oust Gaspar on Tuesday. Simecka also stressed that there's a need to dismiss Gaspar in order to protect the dignity of Parliament. In his view, the post of vice-chair cannot be held by a person charged with serious criminal activity. "It is both an effort to protect the good name of Parliament and a justified concern that Tibor Gaspar will increasingly misuse his post as vice-chair to help himself in his criminal case. We've already had the opportunity to observe this over the past two years," said Simecka at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday. Simecka pointed out that most recently, in December 2025, Gaspar defended legislative changes regarding the acceptance of the testimonies of so-called cooperating defendants. Simecka considers this to be a conflict of interest. According to him, Gaspar is misusing his position, media access and the ability to speak at any time in Parliament. "Tibor Gaspar has submitted 21 proposals to the House over two and a half years. Of these, zero have helped people in Slovakia and 21 have been aimed at dismantling the rule of law and democracy, intimidating opponents, intimidating critics or otherwise restricting and changing the rules of criminal proceedings," said MP Zuzana Mesterova (Progressive Slovakia). Her party colleague Zuzana Stevulova added that Gaspar's real role in Parliament isn't to serve the public, the public interest or Slovakia. "His task is to get himself and his associates off charges and escape justice," she said. Simecka doesn't expect that the special emergency session on the motion to dismiss Gaspar will take place. He assumes that coalition MPs won't approve its agenda "because Tibor Gaspar won't find the courage to defend himself in the parliamentary plenary". The session was scheduled to take place at 13:30 on Tuesday . House vice-chair and former police president Tibor Gaspar is facing criminal charges, among others, in the Purgatory case. mf/df