The Fair-Play Alliance (AFP), a Slovak transparency watchdog, has withdrawn its complaint against the Construction and Regional Development Ministry because the case has been taken over by the Prosecutor's Office, which is now deciding whether it will pursue the alleged 'unjustified enrichment' of companies engaged in the so-called bulletin-board tender, according to a statement issued by AFP on Wednesday, October 7.
"AFP continues to be prepared to do everything necessary so that the taxpayers' money wasted in the tender is returned," reads the statement.
According to AFP, the money in question has been spent uneconomically and "the ministry paid for services and goods highly exaggerated sums". AFP filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office at a time when no state bodies were taking action and the government was not trying to get back the money paid to the companies which benefited from the bulletin-board tender. These comprised a consortium of companies that were close to Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Ján Slota. The Prosecutor's Office has the right to sue for money, "while the alliance could only ask the court to declare the contract concluded via the bulletin-board tender invalid", the TASR newswire reported.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
