Igor Matovič (source: SITA)
Leader of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO-NOVA) Igor Matovič asked for a repeat suspension of his self-employment licence which the state had automatically reactivated after three years, the Sme daily reported.
Matovič explained in a statement that the information system of the interior ministry did not work properly, ergo he was only given confirmation that the request for suspension of the licence had been received.
“In the last eight years, I have not performed any activity with my self-employment licence, whereby, in my belief, I have complied with the law on the protection of public interest which prohibits MPs from carrying out business,” said Matovič, as quoted by Sme.
The current case of an unlawful licence held by one of the opposition leaders came to light when activists of the Human Rights Institute and former organisers of the Gorila protests, Alena Krempaská and Peter Weisenbacher, filed a complaint with the parliament’s committee for conflict of interests against the business called Mgr. Igor Matovič - regionPRESS.
In 2013 Matovič received a fine of six monthly salaries, or approximately €12,000, from the committee for a similar case citing 21 days of unimpeded licence. Matovič has already claimed that he will appeal the fine with the Constitutional Court.
If the committee acknowledges that Matovič again violated the constitutional law on conflict of interests, he could lose his MP mandate, however, at least 90 MPs must vote for this, Sme wrote.
