Slovenská informačná služba (SIS), the country’s primary intelligence service, responded in writing on January 23 to the request from Prime Minister Iveta Radičová for more information on the so-called Gorilla file, according to a statement released by SIS, as reported by the TASR newswire.
"The Slovak Intelligence Service has also sent a letter to President Ivan Gašparovič concerning the investigative team's request for him to remove the oath of secrecy from the SIS director [Karol Mitrík]," according to the statement, as quoted by TASR.
SIS further stated that even though the confidential nature of its work limits its options for presentations to the media, SIS has taken a position regarding what it called "half-truths and misleading information" that has appeared in the media.
"Immediately after the Interior Ministry announced that an investigative team had been set up, we offered Interior Minister Daniel Lipšic assistance in verifying relevant facts and SIS' responses to all requests in the matter have been helpful," according to the statement, as quoted by TASR.
The statement also asserts that the Gorilla file involves various pieces of confidential information and their dissemination and publication would be illegal.
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.
