Interior Minister and Hlas leader Matúš Šutaj Eštok meets police officers in Prešov on November 29, 2024. (source: Facebook - Matúš Šutaj Eštok)
On Tuesday, opposition MPs once again failed to open a session to debate the removal of Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, following a similar failure on Monday, December 9, and last week.
Opposition lawmakers accuse the minister of numerous failings, including police brutality, a shortage of officers, and problems with a booking system managed by the Foreigners’ Police. Additionally, they have criticised Šutaj Eštok, a leader of the coalition party Hlas, for a recent trip to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, where he attended the Formula 1 Grand Prix over the weekend.
The minister did not appear in parliament either on Tuesday or the day before.
The non-parliamentary party Demokrati, led by former defence minister Jaroslav Naď, raised questions about the trip on Sunday, December 8. They demanded to know who funded the trip and whom Šutaj Eštok met with at the event.
“I’ll put it satirically—if the minister sold one of his watches, he could afford such an expensive escapade,” Naď remarked, mocking the minister’s well-known passion for luxury timepieces.
Naď estimated that the trip might have cost €30,000, and claimed that Šutaj Eštok reportedly met in Abu Dhabi with Juraj Šaštinský, a representative of the PPF financial group, which owns the popular Slovak television channel Markíza. Šaštinský previously worked for the Penta financial group, which has significant interests in Slovakia, including in the healthcare sector.
The satirical website Zomri has shared a photo of Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok at the race, accompanied by the caption: Matúš Watch Race.
Alleged official talks in the UAE
The minister is said to have stayed at a five-star hotel and enjoyed the VIP zone at the race, a privilege costing thousands of euros that he reportedly did not pay for.
According to Slovakia’s constitutional law on the protection of public interest, public officials are prohibited from accepting gifts or other benefits linked to their office. If the VIP access had been a legitimate gift, Šutaj Eštok would have been required to declare it in writing by April next year, provided its value exceeded ten times the minimum wage, according to the daily SME.
The Interior Ministry’s press office stated that the minister was invited to the event by Mohamed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). However, SME reports that the invitation came from Dušan Koblišek, president of the Slovak Motorsport Association. While FIA president Ben Sulayem visited Slovakia in October, it remains unclear if he met with the minister during that time.
The ministry also claimed that Šutaj Eštok paid for the trip personally, despite reportedly engaging in official talks on cooperation. It is unclear what these talks entailed or who authorised the minister, whose portfolio does not include sports, to lead them. The minister himself has yet to comment on the trip, despite his regular use of social media to criticise the opposition and bolster his image.
An unusual Sunday
Demokrati stated they had further information about the trip but are waiting for Šutaj Eštok’s response. They also accused him of misleading the public by sharing photos of himself posing with St Nicholas on December 6—a day traditionally associated with giving sweets to children—despite reportedly already being in Abu Dhabi.
The trip has sparked controversy, especially as the government is pushing legislation requiring NGOs and civic organisations to register as lobbyists. Meanwhile, Hlas-nominated Health Minister Kamil Šaško is negotiating with doctors threatening to resign in January unless their demands are met, including increased funding from private health insurers, one of which is owned by Penta.
While Šutaj Eštok was in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Robert Fico travelled to Brazil on Sunday with the ministers of defence, foreign affairs, and economy. President Peter Pellegrini was en route to Rome to meet Pope Francis.
“Who was responsible for our security and airspace protection?” Naď asked on Monday, December 9.
The opposition’s next opportunity to attempt to dismiss the Hlas leader from his ministerial post will be February 4.
