Bašternák on a poster stating "Our Man", with Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák approaching. (source: Sme)
Police have closed the investigation into businessman Ladislav Bašternák who was suspected of committing tax fraud. He reportedly applied the active repentance principle and repaid some €2 million which he received via excessive VAT refunds, the Aktuality.sk website reported.
The website refers to sources close to law enforcement authorities.
When a charged person wants to apply active repentance, they have to not only confess and express regret for their deed but they must also pay the sum evaded. In the case of Bašternák, allegedly as much as €2 million was at stake.
Bašternák wanted to apply active repentance last year. At the time, former interior minister Daniel Lipšic pointed to the Constitutional Court’s ruling issued in another tax case. It stipulated that in cases related to VAT refunds, it is impossible to resort to active repentance, Aktuality.sk wrote.
The police brought charges against Bašternák in March 2017. Back in 2012, via his BL-202 company, Bašternák bought seven flats in a Five Star Residence complex for a supposed €12 million. The real amount however was much lower, as the Financial Administration confirmed after a tax inspection.
The prosecutor will have the final word in this case, according to the website.
