THE RECONSTRUCTION of the biathlon centre in Osrblie was mired in corruption under the government of Iveta Radičová. The Specialised Court handed down fines and suspended sentences to the culprits.
The court’s decision pertained to a lawsuit against businessman Martin Novotný, who was an aide to former prime minister Iveta Radičová. Former diplomat Igor Liška has also been charged in the case.
Both Novotný and Liška were given suspended one year sentences and fined €10,000, the Sme daily reported.
The court ruled with a sentence order, as it considered the evidence to be sufficient for a guilty ruling. However, since Novotný and Liska appealed the verdict, the case will be brought in front of a court.
Novotný and Liška are suspected of having accepted a bribe of €30,000 for arranging a subsidy worth €300,000 for the completion of the Osrblie biathlon centre. In total, €1.6 million was allotted for the reconstruction and re-furbishing of the National Sports Complex in Osrblie from the Education Ministry and the prime minister’s finances. Liška, the former Slovak Ambassador to Kenya, was detained by police in July 2011 with marked banknotes worth €30,000. Liška was caught red-handed in July 2011 when accepting a bribe at Novotný’s office, who was visiting the US at that time, Sme wrote.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
