Bratislava Regional Deputy Prosecutor Viera Datinská on August 16 confirmed that the Special Prosecutor's Office will look into Prime Minister Robert Fico's recent statements regarding the risks associated with pension-fund management companies (DSSs).
"We received a petition on August 15 and may pass it on to the special prosecutor's office by the end of this week," said Datinska.
The application for a probe into Fico's statements to ascertain whether he has committed the criminal offence of spreading alarming reports was submitted to the Bratislava regional prosecutor's office by Róbert Sedlák, chairman of the Young Leftists civil association.
Fico on August 7 stated that the DSSs have been posting losses, and warned savers in the Second Pillar of the pension system that they could lose their savings as a result.
The country's central bank (NBS) quickly responded to Fico's claims by saying that it monitors the activities of the DSSs on a regular basis in accordance with the law, and that their clients' savings are safe.
The DSS Association has also ruled out any threat to client deposits, pointing out that the DSSs' own finances and clients' money are kept separate. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.