In the first ten months of 2004, 20,000 more crimes were committed than last year, while the number of cases solved dropped by 2,500, the daily SME wrote.
Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda criticized police for an increase in car thefts and bank robberies.
Interior Ministry spokesman Boris Ažaltovič, however, disputed the statistics. According to him, the final tally of crimes solved by police will be known at the end of the year.
"This year will be one of the best years in the history of our police," he predicted.
Police have recorded 92,588 crimes so far this year and solved 41,203.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
