The chairman of the Ordinary People and and Independent Personalities (OĽNO) party, Igor Matovič, said he had invited only Peter Zajac, the chairman of the Civic Conservative Party (OKS) and Vladimír Palko, the chairman of the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia (KDS) to take a polygraph test to determine whether or not they have ever taken a bribe, the TASR newswire wrote.
"I met Mr. Palko and Mr. Zajac for lunch today and said I wanted to take a polygraph test with a single question: had I ever taken a bribe. And I told them I'd love to have them take the test, too, and prove that we're different and serious about this fight against corruption," Matovič said on February 6, as quoted by TASR.
Subsequently, Palko and Zajac replied that if Matovič were to insist on such a demand they would immediately withdraw their candidacies from his party slate and make as many candidates as possible follow suit.
"I called only on the two of them, as they are party chairmen," Matovič explained, adding that he didn't have any personal suspicions against Zajac or Palko. "I only consider this to be the right gesture. I never had any doubts about them until they said they won't go. Now, I'm not so sure," he stated.
A number of candidates running on the OĽNO slate announced that they may withdraw their candidacies if Matovič insists on this. The potential resignations involve Martin Mojžiš, Vladimír Palko and František Mikloško who are members of the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia (KDS), Peter Zajac and Ondrej Dostál who are members of the Civic Conservative Party (OKS), and independent candidates Štefan Bučko and Eugen Korda.
"This is an example of political primitivism. It's a retarded idea," Palko commented, adding that a polygraph test is used with people suspected of serious criminal activity and is far from being completely reliable. Peter Zajac said he thinks the demand goes "beyond the scope of democracy", for which many candidates fought for their whole lives.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
