Another leader of a party running in next February's parliamentary elections faces criminal prosecution.
Former president and leader of the non-parliamentary Za Ludi party Andrej Kiska faces charges in connection with the tax scandal around his KTAG company. The Sme daily reported NAKA brought charges against Kiska, citing two sources. This happened only one day after his main rival, former prime minister and Smer leader Robert Fico, was charged with defamation of the nation, race and belief, and the incitement of hatred towards nation, race and ethnicity.
Related articlePresident Kiska made a mistake with his firm KTAG's taxes. How? Read more Early this year, charges were brought by NAKA against the authorised representative of Kiska’s company KTAG, Eduard Kučkovský. He filed a complaint against the charges.
Kiska: A dirty political campaign
Fico, who is now an MP, has refrained from reacting to the charges he is facing. He only told journalists in parliament: "Call Mr Kiska when he is charged with tax fraud, will you?"
Kiska was quick to react to the charges brought against him, branding it a "dirty political campaign" that proves political blackmail and mafia controls Slovakia. He noted that the police have exchanged three investigators on the case within two years, while the first two who worked on it did not see a reason to prosecute him.
"Fico warned me when I refused to put him to the Constitutional Court," Kiska stated and added that he anticipated the charges as president in his public statement in February 2019. Kiska refers to the allegations he voiced against Fico during the election of Constitutional Court judges. He claims Fico attempted to blackmail him back then.
He also referred to the charges that the police brought up against another opposition politician, Jaroslav Nad of OLaNO, recently. However, they were dropped within days. Kiska trusts things will go similarly for him.
"Fico will lose and we will finally get rid of the mafia leader," Kiska stated.
What happened with KTAG
!n autumn 2017, several media outlets received an email signed by Yegorov Trutnov, containing documents showing how Kiska’s KTAG company cheated on taxes.
The tax inspection revealed that KTAG unlawfully added the expenses of Kiska’s presidential campaign to its books. The company then requested a VAT refund of €155,633. Although the state did not pay the refund, the police consider the mere request a crime.
The company acknowledged and expressed regret for the deed and subsequently paid the tax. The company admitted the mistake and paid the additional amount as well as a fine.
President Kiska talks about transparency, hides documents Read more
6. Dec 2019 at 13:13 | Compiled by Spectator staff
