Simeckova Denies Personal Gain from Projekt Forum, Admits Admin Failures

Bratislava, 29 April (TASR) - Marta Simeckova, chair of the civic association Projekt Forum, declared she has never personally profited from the organisation, but, on the contrary, has gone into debt to keep the project running. Simeckova also admitted neglecting administrative matters, but said she is prepared to face legal consequences. According to her, the costs of organising the Central European Forum exceeded the amount the association received from public funds each year. The shortfall was covered from its own resources and private donations. "The same invoices were retrospectively submitted in multiple settlements, although there were enough other eligible costs that should have been listed instead. This did not lead to duplicate payments, but it is an error in grant accounting that should not have happened," Simeckova said. She acknowledged that, as the statutory representative of the civic association, she had for years neglected her duty to oversee proper accounting and administration of Projekt Forum. "I was fully absorbed by the content of the project and the effort to ensure the forum was financially sustainable. I did not have the capacity for administration and payments, even though these are part of the statutory duties," she noted, adding that these tasks were handled by a colleague. "I do not absolve myself of responsibility and I am ready to bear legal consequences for all failures," she added. Simeckova said an accountant alerted her during the compilation of documents that bank statements submitted by her colleague in grant settlements did not match the original statements obtained directly from the bank. "I regret it, I was unaware of it, although as the statutory representative I should have checked it," she added. Simeckova declared she will fully cooperate with investigators and inform the public transparently. A government audit into the use of public subsidies also identified shortcomings in the civic association Projekt Forum, where Marta Simeckova — mother of opposition's Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka — serves as statutory representative. Police in March launched new criminal proceedings with respect to Projekt Forum over suspected subsidy fraud. mf