The head of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party’s district branch in Poprad, Branislav Švec, told the Hospodárske Noviny daily that a delegation of five Roma citizens came to him and offered to secure 2,600 votes from people living in Roma settlements in the districts of Kežmarok, Levoča and Spišská Nová Ves in exchange for €600. The money was allegedly to be used for food and wine for voters.
Even though new rules make the buying of votes a crime, Milan Baran, the head of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) party from the same town reported that he had received a similar offer. The daily reported that Smer party did not allow the five-person delegation into its headquarters.
According to the Penal Code a person who seeks to buy a vote in an election can be sentenced to two years in prison while a voter who accepts a bribe can be imprisoned for 12 months.
Source: Hospodárske Noviny
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
