L-R: Daniel Lipšic and Igor Matovič comment on the case. (source: SITA)
Unlike opposition OĽaNO party leader Igor Matovič, who is already supposed to be charged, the investigator suspended the investigation of Prime Minister Robert Fico for violating the bank privacy of Matovič, the latter’s lawyer Daniel Lipšic claims. Behind this step may also be timing: shortly before the regional elections, the Denník N daily wrote on October 10.
The investigator allegedly said that though the deed meets the criteria of a crime, freedom of speech is more important in this case, as Matovič and Lipšic (also an ex-politician) said, as cited by the Sme daily.
If the police wanted to prosecute Fico, they would have to prosecute the journalists who reported about the case.
There are different rules in effect for representatives of the opposition and coalition, Lipšic claims, reacting to the proposal by the prosecutor of charging Matovič with slander. He points to the fact that the prosecution of Fico has been stopped.
Prosecutor's decision
Lipšic cited the decision of the Regional Presidium of Police Corps investigator in Bratislava concerning criminal prosecution for the crime of violating bank, postal, telecom and tax secrecy, in which Fico was one of the suspects. Before the 2016 election, the PM revealed tax information on Matovič. His deed corresponds with the crime of violating secrecy, according to Lipšic.
“But as the issue is of public interest, and as freedom of speech in politics must be very broad, the so-called material sign, i.e. the gravity of the crime has not been fulfilled, and thus, the prosecution has been halted,” Lipšic said, as quoted by Sme.
Fico claims that he was given the given documents at a meeting with citizens but no one has ever confirmed this, no evidence to support his claim.
On the contrary, all evidence disproves it, according to Lipšic.
When Matovič – who claimed Fico and his wife have a tax haven account in Belize – was involved, there was no issue of freedom of speech.
“There has never been such a double standard in Slovakia,” Lipšic stressed, as quoted by Sme, adding that there seems to be two criminal laws in Slovakia: one for the opposition and one for the coalition. This is devastating for the state, according to the lawyer and ex-politician.
Opposition asks PM's head
Fico should resign, opposition parties SaS, OĽaNO and Sme rodina suggest, as reported by the SITA newswire. They argue that it is his position of prime minster obstructing the course of justice in Slovakia.
