Igor Matovič with documents. (source: SITA)
Ordinary People (OĽaNO) leader Igor Matovič on February 15 handed over more than 60 boxes of documents related to the regionPress company to the National Crime Agency (NAKA). The documentation relates to 1997-2008 excluding the years 2002 and 2004. The handover of the documents took place in the presence of Daniel Lipšic, who is his lawyer but also the leader of NOVA, which has members on the OĽaNO slate for the upcoming general election.
Matovič claims that the boxes with documents are evidence that no tax fraud took place during the sale of RegionPress. Last week, Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Matovič of tax fraud, saying that Matovič transferred his firm to a strawman, destroyed its accounting books and thereby laundered 122 million Slovak crowns (around €4.05 million).
A NAKA investigator collected the documents in front of Matovič’s grandmother’s house in Borová (Trnava Region) where they were being stored in the loft. As the house owners, Matovič’s family members wouldn’t allow him to enter the house, he agreed that the documents could be carried down and put in front of the building. Matovič and Lipšic were surprised that an investigator was collecting, packing and sealing whole boxes rather than individual documents. They claimed that the security of the delivered documentation isn’t guaranteed and that it could be manipulated.
Matovič said that NAKA cars have been parked in front of the house in Borová for at least five days.
“I see here Robert Fico’s finger raised to anyone who dares to lift his head and tell Fico to his face that he’s a thief and is covering for thieves,” said Matovič.
Lipšic added that Fico is unable to understand that someone might run a business and pay taxes.
“Based on the developments so far, nobody in this country thinks that the investigation into the case will be carried out in an independent manner,” said Lipšic, adding that the investigation is being directly supervised by the Slovak Government Office.
Matovič will testify at the police later this week.
Policemen want to examine also Prime Minister Robert Fico to find out how he obtained documents related to the transfer of RegionPress in a short period of time, according to the SITA newswire. Fico revealed in a discussion programme at the TA3 news channel that he received the information about the transfer of the company from a private person. He will reveal his or her name only after the matter is investigated.
