FORMER Smer deputy in Košice František Olejník will not go to prison though two courts have already confirmed he is guilty of corruption. Justice Minister Tomáš Borec has submitted a special appeal to the Supreme Court. He also decided that Olejník does not have to start serving his prison sentence, the Sme daily reported in its February 14 issue.
Opposition members of the parliamentary defence and security committee want to summon a special session at which they plan to grill Borec over his steps.
The Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok sentenced Olejník, who was charged with taking a bribe, for five years in prison and a fine of €3,000. The verdict was later confirmed by the Supreme Court in April 2013. Both courts issued their verdicts based on police wiretapping Olejník’s phone calls for several months. Borec however opines that the courts erred and he is innocent. According to him, the courts decided without relevant evidence. He also stressed he is not doing it on political order.
The story was broken by the Trend weekly.
“There is a serious suspicion that Minister Borec has misused his post in order to prevent a convicted person from going to prison,” said independent MP and chair of the New Majority (NOVA) party Daniel Lipšic, as quoted by the TASR newswire. “We want to see that he explains his action.”
Committee chairman Jaroslav Baška of Smer, a former defence minister (2008-10), now has seven days to convene the session.
“In this specific case, Minister Borec acted in line with a provision of the Penal Code, which was proposed and promoted by Lipšic via [then justice] minister [Lucia] Žitňanská,” responded Pavol Kubík from the Justice Ministry press department, as quoted by TASR. “His claims of misuse of powers are therefore legally absurd and incomprehensible.”
Source: Sme, TASR
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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