'Slovakia' Files Motion with PG's Office Regarding Possible Sale of KUB System

Bratislava, 4 June (TASR) - Representatives of the opposition 'Slovakia' party have filed a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor-General's (PG) Office regarding media reports about the sale of operational KUB anti-aircraft systems, TASR has learnt at their press briefing on Thursday. They believe that, if confirmed, this could constitute a criminal offence of a breach of obligations in the administration of somebody else's property. MP Roman Mikulec ('Slovakia'-'For the People' caucus) stated that the Defence Ministry placed this system in storage last year as scrap - useless material. "But lo and behold, this system, which was apparently still functional - clearly having nothing in common with scrap - ended up in the hands of, as per the contract, of course, a private company, which then exported it - based on export permits held by this Romanian firm - to a country, with the final destination being Uganda in Africa," said Mikulec. According to him, Slovakia thus sold an air-defence system consisting of 14 components for approximately €60,000 as scrap. According to the MP, the private company subsequently exported these components to Uganda for €11 million. "We will, of course, ask the Prosecutor-General's Office to look into this information, both what has been reported in the media and what is detailed in this criminal complaint," added Mikulec. MP Gabor Grendel ('Slovakia'-'For the People' caucus) pointed out that Slovakia could have sold the equipment for €11 million, which would have put money into the state budget. At the same time, he expected Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) to file a criminal complaint. "Why didn't Mr. Kalinak file a criminal complaint if he claims he had nothing to do with it? Doesn't he feel the lack of that €11 million in the Defence Ministry's budget?" asked Grendel. On Monday (1 June), Kalinak rejected allegations made by the extra-parliamentary Democrats party regarding the sale of part of the operational KUB anti-aircraft systems. The defence minister pointed out that the equipment had already been decommissioned from the Slovak Armed Forces earlier. According to him, the transfer to private hands took place based on the terms of a contract concluded by the former minister. According to Kalinak, the air force currently has the same number of combat-ready KUB system batteries as it did when he took up office as defence minister. Democrats pointed to a purchase contract between a Slovak company and a Romanian entity worth approximately €10 million, ex-VAT, the subject of which is reportedly the 2K12 KUB air-defence system. am/df