Opposition Slovak National Party (SNS) MP Vincent Lukáč should resign from his post of MP over his self-confessed contacts with the underworld, Prime Minister Iveta Radičová (SDKÚ) stated on Saturday, August 28, the TASR newswire reported.
“I view his publicly confessed admiration for and even contacts with people whose activities may be related to organised crime as incompatible with the post of MP,” said Radičová, adding that her government, which announced a harsh battle against corruption and organised crime in its programme statement, cannot tolerate Lukáč's statements.
The prime minister further noted that Lukáč is obliged to announce any information he has about organised crime to the police. Lukac’s controversial statements came in the wake of an arson attack on his leased luxury SUV in Košice early on Monday, August 23.
“It wasn't a Mafia job, certainly not,” said Lukáč, 56. “I value Mafiosos and they value me,” the former ice hockey player for Slovakia’s national team told Plus 7 Dní weekly magazine.
Lukáč will apply for National Security Authority (NBÚ) clearance in order to dispel allegations that he is linked to organised crime, even though MPs aren't obliged to undergo such tests, Dušan Strauss from the SNS press department told the TASR newswire on Saturday.
Lukáč then on Sunday commented on his statement, claiming that he was only joking at the time. “I'm surprised, I'm even shocked that statements that were meant as a joke and were said in an ironic tone in response to questions asked by tabloid journalists, in order to approximate their style and the standards of their work, are now being analysed by the entire political spectrum, Parliament, and recently also the prime minister,” Lukáč said in a written statement provided to TASR.
He further denied any contacts with the Mafia and any admiration for the underworld. He added that the whole case is a misuse of an unfortunate incident, and a campaign by certain media and political parties against him and his party.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
