'Let's Stop Corruption' Files Complaint Over Kalinak's Conflict of Interest

Bratislava, 12 November (TASR) – The Let's Stop Corruption Foundation has filed a complaint with the House conflicts of interest committee over a suspected conflict of interest involving Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), calling on the committee to investigate Kalinak's links to business dealings involving Czech arms manufacturer Michal Strnad, TASR learnt on Thursday. The foundation pointed out that the Defence Ministry was negotiating contracts for Strnad's companies at a time when Kalinak's company, Kallan Consulting, was receiving payments from one of Strnad's companies for services rendered. The links allegedly continued after Kalinak took up office as defence minister. "Such conduct raises serious suspicions of favouritism and corruption. The minister could have dispelled these suspicions by publicly declaring his conflict of interest in advance, but he failed to do so," said Eva Mihockova of the foundation. The Let's Stop Corruption also questioned the process via which the ministry awarded Strnad's companies strategic contracts worth more than €1 billion, asking whether the contracts, awarded directly under security exemptions, were genuinely based on the most advantageous offers. The foundation is urging the parliamentary committee to act without delay, exercise its statutory powers and obtain all relevant contracts, invoices and internal approval procedures from both the Defence Ministry and the minister himself. "We're also asking the committee to summon Robert Kalinak for a hearing, where he should provide clear answers to several questions from the public and MPs," added Mihockova. She also warned that if the committee finds the defence minister guilty of breaching the Constitutional Act on the Protection of the Public Interest, he could face a fine equivalent to 12 times his monthly salary. mf/df