Slovakia's two existing military intelligence services – the Military Intelligence Service (VSS) and the Military Defence Intelligence (VOS) counter-intelligence service – should merge as of January 2013, Defence Minister Martin Glváč (Smer) said, as reported by the TASR newswire.
"We have the ambition to do this as soon as possible, as they [the intelligence services] are in a disastrous condition. This will certainly be included in the government manifesto, and if the laws allow it, we aim to do this ... as of January 2013," said Glváč on Wednesday, April 4. The minister said he hoped the merger would save money and re-establish trust in military intelligence activities. Glváč announced he would meet the chief of the General Staff, Peter Vojtek, as early as today (Thursday), one day after his appointment as defence minister, to discuss military strategy.
Glváč confirmed that Slovakia's ambassador to the UN and former ambassador to NATO, Miloš Koterec, will most probably become the new Defence Ministry state secretary. He added that he is not considering replacing Vojtek, who has led the General Staff only since December 2011.
Glváč commented on reports that he previously had contacts with the late Bratislava mafia boss Jozef Svoboda. "I didn't say that I used to meet him, I said that I knew him and knew who he was," Glváč commented.
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.
