IN AN INTERVIEW with the Format weekly, Police Vice President Jaroslav Spišiak said that organised crime had penetrated parliament.
"We know of some concrete people. We only have operative information about some others. We are seeking evidence that would be acceptable to the courts and are trying to eliminate these [criminal] links," he said.
However, Spišiak's words have angered some deputies, including Ladislav Polka, a former Movement for a Democratic Slovakia deputy and a current independent who denied having links with the underworld.
Robert Fico, leader of the opposition party Smer, hurried to confirm the words of the police vice president, saying Spišiak knew what he was talking about and would soon provide evidence.
Interior Ministry Spokesman Boris Azaltovič said that Spišiak was responsible for the fight against organised crime and that the interior minister trusted him, the daily SME wrote.
17. May 2004 at 0:00 | From press reports