Hargas: Granting Subsidy Worth €1 Mn to Company Without Phone Scandalous

Bratislava, 30 May (TASR) - The fact that more than a million-euro subsidy was awarded by Investment, Regional Development and Informatization Minister Samuel Migal (independent) to a company unable to prove its references, without a telephone number and not responding to emails, is scandalous, opposition MP Jan Hargas (Progressive Slovakia) has warned. According to Hargas, the company is officially based in a block of flats in Bratislava, while nobody can be found at the location where it is supposed to carry out activities financed by the subsidy. The company was also not found at the administrative centre in Poprad where the 1.2 million-euro project was meant to be implemented. "We therefore see more than enough red flags," the MP underlined. Despite this, minister Migal approved a subsidy exceeding one million euros for the company. According to Hargas, failure is too weak a word. "According to my information, the process of paying out the subsidy had already started and was stopped at the last moment only because the media began asking questions about this deal. I ask how many other deals are taking place at the ministry that we know nothing about," he noted. Hargas added that this was further proof that minister Migal, deputy minister Radomir Salitros and the entire current government care only about business deals. "Mr. Hargas is talking nonsense. We already commented on the matter this morning (Friday, 29 May), but since not everyone can read with understanding, we repeat: this is absurd because the company is listed as a debtor by the tax authorities, and therefore nothing can be paid out to it. Regardless of the fact that a check of any possible fulfilment must also take place," the ministry press department told TASR in response to Hargas. "And we remind everyone that we live in a state governed by the rule of law. MP Hargas cannot decide who may apply for a subsidy based on what he reads in newspapers. If the recipient implements the project in line with the approved project, proves it, proves that people were employed, demonstrates that at least 40 percent of the costs were covered from its own resources, and fulfils all legal conditions, then not even Mr. Hargas can decide whether it may receive money or not," the ministry added. mf