Simecka: I Won't Be Brought Down by Cloak-and-dagger Politics

Bratislava, 12 May (TASR) - Opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka declared on Tuesday he will not allow himself to be brought down by what he described as an "intelligence-service maneuvering". Simecka referred this way to the release of information that the civic association Projekt Forum, where his mother Marta Simeckova serves as statutory representative, had in the past paid telephone service invoices for several members of the Simecka family, including the PS leader himself. The daily Postoj broke the news on Tuesday and said it had an invoice at its disposal to prove it. "I have learned that an invoice from 14 years ago also contains a number that I inherited from my late grandmother. I do not know what invoice this is, nor where they obtained it. One thing is clear — they could not have obtained it legally. Did they get it from the case file? No, because the investigation against my mother concerns the years 2018 to 2022. It must have come from the security services, which have been scrutinizing my family and Projekt Forum," Simecka posted on social media. In his view, this was clear evidence of an intelligence operation politically directed by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD). The PS leader added that after his grandmother died in 2007, he kept her phone number for sentimental reasons. "I was a student and my parents told me they would pay for my mobile phone, while I covered my other study expenses myself. Apparently my mother registered this number under the civic association. That should not have happened. Honestly, however, I do not remember it and only learned about it when the media started asking about it," Simecka said, adding that he only began paying for his own mobile phone around 2012 or 2013. "It angers me because if I had known, I would have said it immediately. I am angry that it happened this way, but I will not be brought down by this intelligence game over a mobile phone my mother paid for through a civic association 14 years ago," he added. Journalist Marek Vagovic, who wrote the article for Postoj, published a video on social media in which he said Simecka had indirectly accused the daily of participating in an intelligence operation orchestrated by Fico and the security services. "As a journalist, I never disclose the sources of my information, but I can assure you, Mr. Simecka, that we coordinated nothing with anyone. This is the result of our long-term investigative work, of which we are proud," Vagovic stated. A government audit concerning the use of public subsidies uncovered shortcomings at Projekt Forum, which is linked to Marta Simeckova. Police launched criminal investigation in March on suspicion of subsidy fraud. Prime Minister Fico said in April that the damage caused was approaching 140,000 euros. He has repeatedly accused the Simecka family of "living off various subsidy mechanisms". Representatives of Smer-SD have also rejected claims that the investigation into Projekt Forum was politically motivated. In April, Marta Simeckova said she has never enriched herself through the association and has instead gone into debt to keep the project running. She admitted neglecting administrative matters within the organisation but said she was prepared to face legal consequences. mf