THE PARLIAMENTARY Constitutional Law Committee will open an inquiry on July 9 into Justice Minister Štefan Harabin’s appointment of Ján Ondáš as a distrainer.
Ondáš isn’t qualified for the position because he does not have a law degree, as required by Slovak law, the chairman of the committee, Mojmír Mamojka (Smer), confirmed to the Sme daily, which broke the story.
Ondáš graduated from the legal department at the Police Academy of the College of the National Security Corps and worked for the communist-era ŠtB secret police.
Jana Laššáková (Smer) told the Sme daily that she also believes the Justice Minister should comply with the law.
Ministry spokesman Michal Jurči defended the appointment by saying the law only requires that an appointee for distrainer be from “the legal field,” but MPs reject that assertion.
Daniel Lipšic, an MP for the KDH opposition party, told the Sme daily that the appointment likely qualifies as an abuse of power.
“I consider it absolutely scandalous that a former ŠtB member was appointed,” Lipšic said.
He added that Ondáš should be dismissed and that any orders he has issued so far should be challenged.
