MP Ferencak Questioned for Six Hours at Office for Combating Organised Crime

Banska Bystrica, 8 April (TASR) - The questioning of MP Jan Ferencak (Independent), who has been expelled from the coalition Voice-SD party, lasted approximately six hours at the Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK) in Banska Bystrica on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from Ferencak and his lawyer Peter Kubina. "If there were no grounds for charges before today, then after today, there's absolutely no question about it," said Kubina. Ferencak arrived for the interrogation on Wednesday morning as both a suspect and a witness in connection with alleged crimes of accepting a bribe and gaining undue advantage. "All of these allegations follow the same pattern: taking certain facts which are true and undisputed, like the acquisition of property under specific terms, and wrapping them in a fictitious and false narrative, which we've managed to prove wrong during today's questioning," stated Kubina. Ferencak, who concurrently serves as Kezmarok (Presov region) mayor, sees this as intimidation and political persecution against him. "One thing is clear: it began with the Internal Affairs Inspectorate (UIS) passing on findings that are now being investigated. I have answered all questions and submitted documents and evidence, and I firmly believe this will not turn out to be a political errand, but an investigation conducted as it should be," said Ferencak. He reiterated that he acquired his property in accordance with the law. "A lynching has been launched against me, whether it concerns my property, or now with videos being used against me. The whole point of this is to intimidate me, so that I won't express my opinion as a constitutional official, so that I'll vote as those who run this state wish, and so that I'll be forced to quit Parliament to make way for someone more compliant. I'm not upset by these events, my hands are clean and I can defend everything. I won't give up my MP's seat, I'll continue to express my opinion as I have done so far, and I'll vote for laws that benefit the people," stressed Ferencak. UIS spokesperson Andrea Dobiasova stated that Ferencak is "attempting to smear the UIS, which is merely fulfilling its statutory duties". "We do not differentiate between the sources of information regarding criminal activity. If it falls under the UIS's remit, we deal with it; if it doesn't, we refer it to the competent Police Corps unit," she added. jrg