Smer MP and former interior minister Robert Kaliňák on Thursday, November 24, announced that he intends to file a criminal complaint against the recently dismissed former defence minister Ľubomír Galko (Freedom and Solidarity (SaS)) over alleged misuse of illegal wiretapping.
Several media outlets earlier this week released transcripts of phone conversations between Kaliňák and Vanda Vavrová, a reporter on the Pravda daily, that suggested that Kaliňák was actively involved in the content of a number of articles written by Vavrová. Kaliňák is convinced that Galko is responsible for releasing the transcripts, which were obtained by wiretapping. "One piece of evidence for this is [Galko's] declaration at the session of the parliamentary defence committee earlier this week and at a press conference on Wednesday, at which he said that documents on links between a politician and a journalist will be published soon," said the Smer MP, as quoted by the TASR newswire. According to Kaliňák, the content of the phone conversation isn't that important; what really matters is the fact that Galko eavesdropped on politicians, journalists, and on his colleagues and bodyguards.
Galko denied claims that he had masterminded the release of the transcripts of the phone conversations between Kaliňák and Vavrová. Galko stressed that after the transcripts were published, he had certain doubts about their authenticity, but Kaliňák, at a press conference broadcast live on television on Thursday afternoon, confirmed that they were genuine. "Kaliňák confessed ... with a trembling voice that he directs the Pravda daily and has at least one entire dossier from the Military Defence Intelligence [VOS] at his disposal," said Galko. SaS chair Richard Sulík, speaking alongside Galko, noted that all eavesdropping done by the VOS under Galko was approved by a judge, and therefore legal. Sulík pointed out that Galko's predecessor Jaroslav Baška (Smer) was even more wiretap-happy than Galko. "Galko filed 14 criminal complaints [over corruption at the Defence Ministry]," said Sulík, adding that this had angered quite a few people.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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