Gaspar: Simecka Can't Perform Duties of House Vice-chair Impartially

Bratislava, September 12 (TASR) - Michal Simecka (Progressive Slovakia) can't perform his duties as House Vice-chair responsibly, independently, impartially and in accordance with the highest ethical and legal standards in view of recent allegations and findings, said Smer-SD MP Tibor Gaspar, who on Thursday introduced the coalition's no-confidence motion in Parliament. "This position requires from a public official not only professional skills, but also a high level of integrity and commitment to the public interest, which in the case of House Vice-chair Michal Simecka is seriously questionable due to a number of facts that are currently the subject of public and media discussion," said Gaspar, pointing to the drawing of state subsidies by NGOs featuring Simecka's relatives in 2020-24. "The entities received the subsidies at a time when Michal Simecka, as head of the political Progresive Slovakia party, had a direct influence on the decision-making processes in the allocation of specific state subsidies," the motion for Simecka's dismissal reads. The Justice Ministry conducted an audit of the allocation of subsidies to NGOs due to suspicions of illegal practices and influence on the process of allocating subsidies. According to coalition MPs, published partial information shows that the provision of subsidies was set up in a non-transparent manner and that the assessment processes were subjectively interfered with. Gaspar at the same time pointed to recent opposition protests against Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova, claiming that Simecka abused the right of people to assemble to protect the funding of his family. According to him, Simecka deliberately failed to inform protesters that his family has received more than €1 million from the Culture and Justices Ministries. In addition, Simecka was also reproached for his statements at the protests. "He often uses language that exacerbates conflicts and contributes to the polarisation of public debate. Such behaviour is in direct contradiction with the tasks of a public official, who should contribute to strengthening public confidence in state institutions and promoting social cohesion," the no-confidence motion reads. A decision to dismiss Simecka would send a strong signal that Parliament is committed to the highest ethical standards and the rule of law, the sponsors of the motion said in the document. zel/mcs