Fico: Accusations Raised by USP Senseless and Purpose-built

Bratislava, March 20 (TASR) - Accusations raised by the Special Prosecutor's Office (USP) on the final day of its existence are nothing but a politicised purpose-built move and the government has no reason to address them, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated after a session of the government on Wednesday. Fico believes that the last steps of Daniel Lipsic and his team might have constituted a misuse of public officials' powers. "They released it in such a way so as to exert pressure on the Prosecutor-General, seeing as it will be the Prosecutor-General's Office that's going to decide on complaints of defendants against charges pressed by prosecutors of the USP," said Fico. On the final day of its existence, the USP pressed several charges in various cases, including against financier Jaroslav H. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons], Kosice regional governor Rastislav T., former MP Gyorgy Gy. and head of Government Office Juraj G. In Fico's view, the final activities of the USP correspond with what Fico perceives as violations of human rights. "It's an extraordinary purpose-built move, these charges are senseless and we won't pay absolutely any attention to that," he said. The Prime Minister criticised opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, claiming that PS leader Michal Simecka is currently in Brussels asking for the EU Funds for Slovakia to be stopped over Slovakia's scrapping of the USP and Penal Code changes. "We're conducting a factual and qualified dialogue with the European Commission that takes place every time there are issues that raise questions. Despite this dialogue, PS wants the EU to punish Slovakia. What PS is doing is nothing short of economic treason," underlined Fico. Fico stated that even the Constitutional Court conceded that the scrapping of the USP is not unconstitutional, as it hasn't suspended the effects of the Penal Code bill in that respect. mf/mcs