Gašpar in role of parliamentary deputy chair: opposition calls for removal, coalition attacks PS
The opposition is pushing for the removal of charged Tibor Gašpar from his position as deputy chair of parliament. The coalition counters with attacks on Progressive Slovakia.
Dispute over Gašpar escalates into mutual accusations
Opposition MP Zuzana Mesterová (PS) and coalition MP Ján Mažgút (Smer-SD) became embroiled in a sharp conflict over whether charged Tibor Gašpar should continue to hold the position of deputy chair of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, according to ta3.com. The debate quickly transformed into an exchange of attacks concerning the pasts of representatives from both sides.
Mesterová: Charges are not a hoax
Mesterová insisted that the Gašpar case is based on concrete legal facts, not a political campaign. "Tibor Gašpar is charged. He is charged with serious offences. He is charged with giving bribes, accepting bribes and with the police under his leadership functioning as an organised crime group," she stated.
She emphasised that the charges were brought by the prosecutor and accepted by the court. "This is not a hoax made up on the internet. This is a fact that was investigated by law enforcement authorities, evaluated by the prosecutor, charges were brought, the court dealt with it and accepted the charges," she explained to Mažgút.
She also pointed to dozens of police officers and other individuals convicted in final judgement who, according to her, admitted to abuse of authority and corruption during the period when Gašpar headed the police.
The core of her argument was not the question of guilt, but of parliament's reputation. "No one is taking away Tibor Gašpar's mandate as an MP of the National Council, but the National Council should be concerned about whether it is not discredited by who represents it," she stressed.
Mažgút: No law requires his departure
Mažgút repeatedly objected that the opposition had not provided a specific legal reason why Gašpar should step down from the position. "I still have not learned from you or your colleagues what legislation, what law prevents a charged person from sitting in the position of deputy chair of parliament," he argued.
He also pointed to the presumption of innocence. According to him, the opposition equates charges with conviction. "The factual state of being charged means, and that is in your understanding, that being charged automatically means that he is convicted. Absolutely not," he said.
Coalition targets PS: Sabo, Truban, Dubéci
Instead of defending Gašpar, Mažgút turned to controversies within the ranks of Progressive Slovakia, using photographs several decades old.
He produced an older photograph of MP Michal Sabo in which Sabo was performing a Nazi salute, and ironically remarked that he could be an "expert on fighting extremism". Mesterová responded that Sabo had explained his conduct and apologised for it. "Michal Sabo explained this act, I don't know how many years old, and apologised for it," she said, adding that his current positions should be evaluated, which according to PS clearly reject extremism.
Mažgút further cited older statements by former PS chair Michal Truban about his own experiences with drugs from a lecture intended for students. "One basic point for me is taking the first small dose," Mažgút quoted from Truban's words. He added that if PS criticises others, it should come to terms with its own past.
As another example he cited parliamentary deputy chair Martin Dubéci (PS) and his involvement in the campaign of presidential candidate Radoslav Procházka in 2014. After the election, in which Procházka came third, the chair of the Ordinary People party Igor Matovič accused Procházka of not paying part of the campaign through a transparent account. Mažgút suggested that progressives should look at their own ranks before criticising others.
Mesterová rejected such a comparison. "Martin Dubéci is not charged or accused of anything. You dug up a 10-year-old hoax about some plastic bag and the prime minister is spouting nonsense in some video about this," she responded.
Dispute over double standards
Mažgút expressed the conviction that PS uses double standards. "If they see a speck in someone else's eye and do not see the plank, literally in their own eye and in their own ranks, then they probably need to be reminded of it," he stated. He also mentioned the financing of the party by businessman Martin Pekár as another point of criticism.
Mesterová, for her part, pointed to Smer's links to the far right — joint press conferences with the Republika movement, which the ruling party has repeatedly designated as a coalition partner according to her, good relations with far-right MEP Milan Mazurek (Republika) and contacts with charged extremist Daniel Bombic.
The Cleansing case, within which Gašpar is charged, thus became merely a springboard for a wider political battle in which both sides target above all the reputation of their opponent.
Source: Google News SK — Crime (sk)