President Calls on Government to Pay Maximum Attention to Land Registry Problem

Nemecka/Bratislava, January 10 (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini has called on the government to pay maximum attention to the land registry-related problem and to do its best to stabilise the situation. The president also expects regular and open communication between government officials and the public. "A cyber-attack of unprecedented scale has hit Slovakia in such a sensitive area as ​​ownership rights to land and real estate, which I view as serious," Pellegrini told the media following a commemorative event in the village of Nemecka (Banska Bystrica region). According to the president, this is an area that Slovaks perceive sensitively and evokes fear and concern among them. He pointed out that the attack has had an impact on the real-estate market, causing problems when people want to take out mortgages or transfer real estate. "I want to ask the government and ministers to do their utmost to stabilise this situation, but, most importantly, to help calm it down by means of normal, open and truthful communication," said Pellegrini. At this point, the president would like to avoid speculation about who is responsible for the cyber-attack, as the latest information doesn't indicate that it is possible to identify a specific perpetrator. The Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre Office (UGKK) and the Interior Ministry on Wednesday (January 8) confirmed that UGKK's information system, which is used by land registry departments of district offices, had been hit by a large-scale cyber-attack from abroad. The offices of land registry departments have been temporarily closed as a precaution. Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) has declared that the office has all its data backed up and that no one will lose their property. Both Takac and Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) have spoken about suspicions that the cyber attack may have come from Ukraine. ko/df