Opposition Slams Gaspar over Purgatory; PS Plans to Pursue Motions to Oust Him/2

Bratislava, 9 June (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party intends to repeatedly submit motions to remove House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) from office as long as he remains under indictment, stated PS leader Michal Simecka on Tuesday following an unsuccessful attempt to discuss Gaspar's dismissal at an extraordinary parliamentary session. The opposition sought to remove Gaspar in connection with his involvement in the Purgatory scandal. SaS MP Maria Kolikova called it unacceptable for a person indicted for corruption and organised crime to hold a leadership position in Parliament. "The Slovak Parliament has already experienced several dramatic moments, but it's never happened before that a lawmaker has faced charges in court for masterminding a criminal group one day and presided over a parliamentary session the next. We're concerned with protecting the good name of this institution, which has been tarnished by his indictment. That's why we'll seek to oust Gaspar at the next session in September," said Simecka, stressing that as long as Gaspar remains indicted, PS will submit motions for his dismissal at every opportunity until the next election. PS emphasised that it doesn't want to take away the mandate that people gave Gaspar in the last election. "However, we disagree with how he's abusing his position in Parliament for his own defence. This conflict of interest alone is enough for him to resign," stressed the party leader. Leader of the Christian Democrats (KDH) Milan Majersky criticised the fact that Gaspar is getting so much media attention and is able to defend himself and make excuses even in Parliament itself. "It's unfair; Smer should suspend him until the court proceedings are concluded, and Tibor Gaspar shouldn't currently be serving as House vice-chairman," he said. Head of the 'Slovakia' party Igor Matovic emphasised that Gaspar lacks the courage to defend himself before Parliament, but he also lambasted opposition partners from Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and PS for continuing to appear with Gaspar on politics shows, claiming that they are giving him a platform to manipulate public opinion. Matovic is convinced that Gaspar committed the crimes for which he is charged. "After all, several people in this case have already been convicted, who have confessed, who have admitted they were part of it - about how he [Gaspar] received bribes from tax fraudsters in exchange for not investigating them," he said, adding that Gaspar, as police president, betrayed his mission. MP Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia'-'For the People') added that the post of parliamentary vice-chair requires high moral integrity and respect for the principles of the rule of law. "Tibor Gaspar not only fails to meet these criteria; he embodies their exact opposite," she believes. MPs on Tuesday afternoon didn't begin deliberations at a special session on the removal of House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) from office, as they rejected the session's agenda. Gaspar views the attempt to dismiss him as an effort to divert attention from the scandal involving the mother of PS leader Michal Simecka. Last week, Gaspar claimed that the opposition and the media are directing media hysteria against him. NOTE: This story has been extended to include paragraphs 5-7. am