All 150 members of the Slovak Parliament have submitted reports on their property ownership, according to the head of the parliamentary committee for conflict of interests, Gábor Gál, reported the SITA newswire. Public officials are obliged to send this information to the parliamentary committee.
Three public officials failed to fulfil their legal duty and submit their property returns by the end of March. Gál said these three individuals are state representatives in joint-stock companies. The parliamentary committee will decide whether the individuals will be fined. According to Gál, the fine would be a monthly salary. If these individuals do not receive a salary, they can be fined up to an average Slovak nominal monthly salary.
The law requires public officials to submit their property returns within 30 days of assuming their function and every year thereafter by March 31. This duty currently applies to about 600 public officials. In mid-March Gál said that he is preparing an amendment that would extend the list of people obliged to present their property returns. Currently, for example, the president is obliged to submit a property return, as well as the cabinet members, state secretaries, deputies of the parliament or representatives in state companies.
Gál would like this duty to also apply to members of the supervisory board of the Slovak Land Fund and heads of offices within the presidency, the parliament and the Constitutional Court. Gál said on April 8 that the committee will deal with the amendment at its April session. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
