Daniel Čech (source: TASR)
Daniel Čech, who has been repeatedly charged in the Mýtnik case, confessed to having accepted a bribe of €200,000 from his former superior František Imrecze.
Čech has also testified about allegations that the former prime minister and now leader of the opposition Hlas party, Peter Pellegrini, accepted a bribe. Imrecze has told the police about this previously.
The Noviny.sk news website of the private broadcaster TV JOJ reported on August 9 that Čech confessed to having accepted the bribe from his former superior at the Financial Administration, Imrecze, after he left his post in 2016. The bribe was linked with the purchase of IT systems for businessman Michal Suchoba and his company Allexis.
He confessed following the recent arrests and charges in the Mýtnik (Toll Collector) case that involves corruption in IT orders of the Financial Administration. The police charged eight people, including businessman Miroslav Výboh, whom former prime minister Robert Fico described as his friend, and former head of the Financial Administration Lenka Wittenbergerová, who has confessed to having accepted bribes.
Her predecessor, Imrecze, was first detained in January 2021. Imrecze has confessed and started cooperating with the investigators in July. Suchoba, who has also been charged as part of the Mýtnik operation, has also confessed.
Bribe connected to Pellegrini
Imrecze and Suchoba reportedly told the investigators, among other things, that former prime minister Pellegrini was bribed when he served as the state secretary at the Finance Ministry. He broke away from the Smer party with a group of fellow renegades last year and currently leads the opposition party Hlas, which tops public opinion polls.
According to Imrecze and Suchoba, Výboh gave a €150,000 bribe from Suchoba to Pellegrini, the Aktuality.sk news website reported.
Čech, in his confession, reiterated Imrecze's claims, Noviny.sk reported. He reportedly offered more witnesses to verify his testimony, including the representatives of the state-run minting company Kremnica Mint, which cooperated on the creation of an electronic system.
Čech reportedly alleged that Pellegrini had been against Suchoba's company Allexis, but his rhetoric changed over time. Čech told the investigators that when he asked Imrecze what was behind Pellegrini's change in attitude, he responded that Pellegrini had been offered a financial reward, Noviny.sk wrote.
