MINISTER of Construction and Regional Development Marian Janušek has refused to comment on the controversial tender awarded by his minstry in which the successful candidates were two companies close to Ján Slota, the leader of the Slovak National Party, of which Janušek is also a member.
“Please, let the tender be and let the people work in peace,” SITA newswire quoted Janušek, who accused the journalists of “throwing dirt on a ministry that does not deserve it at all”.
He said that he will not give any statements until completion of the current investigation of his ministry by Slovakia’s Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ).
Janušek’s reaction came after the Sme daily stated that Zamedia, one of the companies linked to Slota, has received more than €3 million (Sk100 million) from the Construction and Regional Development Ministry since November 2008, when the media first started reporting about controversial practices at this ministry.
As evidence, Sme used invoices presented to the ministry by Zamedia which the ministry had provided to the Fair Play Alliance NGO under a Freedom of Information Act request.
