The crime rate in Slovakia between 2007 and 2009 dropped by 13 percent, or 46,501 criminal offences, compared to the figures for 2003 to 2005, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliňák told a press conference on February 24, the TASR newswire reported. The average rate of crime resolution went up by 3 percent in 2007-09, compared to 2003-05. The highest resolution rate, 54percent, was recorded in 2009, Kaliňák said.
The statistics include three entire years under Kaliňák’s remit over the ministry and are compared to three entire years under former minister Vladimír Palko, TASR wrote. The figures also revealed that recorded property crime fell by 18 percent between the two periods, the number of violent offences dropped by 35 percent and the number of thefts went down by 19 percent, while burglaries dropped by 31 percent. According to Police Corps President Ján Packa, positive developments in statistics are partly the result of deployment of 1,600 new police officers on the streets.
But Daniel Lipšic, Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice-chair (and former justice minister 2002-06), said that corruption and serious organised crime cases are not being investigated properly on the same day. Lipšic countered that the most serious investigated cases of corruption within the current government’s term have been cases like the Slovak Soccer Association official Vladimír Waenke, and Jozef Molnár, a municipal MP for Smer in Devínska Nova Ves district – both accused of bribery-related offences.
During the era of the previous government, Lipšic said corruption cases involving judges, prosecutors and an MP were dealt with. He added that the positive trend in reducing crime has emerged since 2003 mostly by virtue of an amendment to the Penal Code and stricter punishments that were introduced by the previous government. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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