JÁN Drgonec, an independent MP and the head of the parliamentary constitutional committee, rejected allegations made by Smer leader Robert Fico that the coalition bought his vote in parliament.
Fico had earlier claimed that the "price" of an MPs was Sk15 million (€390,000) and named Drgonec and another independent MP, Miroslav Abelovský, as examples.
Fico said that the two MPs, lawyers by profession, would cash in millions for defending the dissatisfied landowners of plots for the South Korean Kia carmaker plant near Žilina.
Under pressure to complete the construction works on time, the cabinet recently succumbed to the demands of the landowners and decided to pay them Sk350 (€9) per square metre, as they demanded. Originally, the cabinet offered the landowners Sk140 (€3.6) per square metre.
According to Fico it is "interesting" that the government refused to pay the Sk350 for so long and now, when it needs the votes of the independent MPs, it decided to pay the required money. MPs such as Abelovský and Drgonec would cash in from the fees from their clients, the landowners.
Responding to these allegations at a press conference on September 19, Drgonec told journalists: "Fico is not an imbecile. He knows full well that he has MP immunity and cannot be sued for his statements."
