Ministry Orders Immediate Removal of Two Radar Devices from Trial Run

Bratislava, 10 August (TASR) - The Interior Ministry has called on the supplier to immediately remove two speed radar devices from a test run, ministry spokesman Matej Neumann has informed TASR. According to the documentation submitted so far, the origin of the devices and their key components hasn't been verified in a way that the ministry would consider sufficient to rule out security concerns, said Neumann. "The ministry has called on the supplier to immediately dismantle both of the devices supplied and replace them with devices that meet the relevant legal, technical and security requirements of the Slovak Republic and the European Union. Before the replacement devices are installed, the supplier must notify the ministry of their specific type and submit documentation demonstrating their origin, technical specifications and security," said the spokesman. According to the ministry's assessment, the documentation currently available to it doesn't make it possible to clearly verify the origin of the devices and their critical components to the extent necessary to assess security risks. "The security of the public and the state comes first, which is why the ministry has asked the National Security Bureau to assess the radar devices. Until this assessment is completed, the ministry won't prejudge its results or make definitive conclusions about the security of the devices," added the spokesperson. Neumann stated that the ministry's aim from the outset has been to improve road safety and traffic flows, prevent road accidents and protect people's lives and health. "However, when introducing any technological solution, the protection of the public's personal data must be ensured with equal diligence, and the origin of the devices being used must be clearly verified," stressed the ministry. The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party last week warned that the Interior Ministry was probably installing Russian-made traffic cameras on Slovak roads. The party said that this posed a major security risk because the traffic monitoring system will have access to state databases. It also questioned the procurement process for the cameras. The supplier, Soitron, has denied claims that the devices are of Russian origin. ko/df