THE MAFIA is involved in Slovak politics. That is the opinion of 70 percent of Slovaks, according to an MVK agency survey for the daily SME.
Although no politician will actually own up to mafia influence in politics, some of them do admit that there is a lack of transparency in their approach.
Several MPs are currently facing conflicts with the law. Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) MP Libuša Martinčeková is accused of establishing a crime group. Gabriel Karlin of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia is under investigation for corruption.
Pavel Haulík, a sociologist from MVK, thinks that people might not have understood the word “mafia” correctly”. According to him respondents may have interpreted the word not only to mean an organized crime group but also someone who tries to obtain unfair advantage.
"People perceive politicians as a closed group of people trying to take advantage of their positions as much as possible," said Haulík.
Compiled by Marta Ďurianová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
