Gaspar Denies Political Motivation for Investigation into Projekt Forum

Bratislava, 28 April (TASR) - Parliamentary Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) rejects claims that the investigation into civil association Projekt Forum is politically motivated, TASR learnt on Tuesday. Gaspar said this in response to a statement by the leader of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, Michal Simecka, whose mother is the statutory representative of the association. Gaspar pointed to suspicions of subsidy fraud linked to the organisation, which he said have been uncovered by audits. "The Simecka family have come up with the idea that the best defence is to conceal from the public that subsidy fraud has been taking place and instead claim that a political order has been arranged by Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Tibor Gaspar," he said, calling the claim absurd. He repeatedly rejected Simecka's statements about a political order and revenge, urging the public not to forget the core of the issue. "There is a suspicion of subsidy fraud at a very serious stage of investigation, and it appears that financial transactions also took place between the chairman of Progressive Slovakia himself and Projekt Forum," he added. Gaspar also noted that neither Prime Minister Fico nor he have filed a criminal complaint in the case. "Criminal complaints are being properly investigated in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code," he said. He suggested that Simecka might be concerned that the investigation is nearing completion. "It will be interesting, and the investigation may reveal who actually benefited from funds possibly obtained by fraud," he added. The Let's Stop Corruption foundation has published findings on its website claiming that Financial Administration's Criminal Office examined the finances of several associations despite lacking the authority to do so. Projekt Forum was said to be among them, and the foundation announced that it will file a criminal complaint. Financial Administration rejected the claims of malfeasance as inaccurate, distorted and deliberately misleading. Simecka described the situation as a political order and revenge. He stated that he provided the civil association with a loan of €5,200, of which €5,000 was later repaid. mf/df