The Minister of Defense spies on journalists or even more, he takes the door
(BRUSSELS2) Embroiled in an illegal wiretapping scandal, Slovak Defense Minister Lubomir Galko is to leave his post. Even if his party, the liberal party "Freedom and Solidarity" SaS, turned a deaf ear (*), the Prime Minister, Iveta Radicova, asked for the resignation of the person concerned. What was obtained today (November 23) by the signing of a decree by the President of the Republic.
Military intelligence in action
The facts, however, are serious enough. The minister allegedly had the military intelligence services (VOS) listen to three journalists from the daily Pravda. Listening justified by the fact that they would have participated in the leak of sensitive information from the Ministry of Defense is justified. "When we learn of criminal activity, we do not differentiate between politicians, citizens and journalists." Pavol Brychta, the head of the VOS agency, admitted during a hearing held behind closed doors in parliament on Tuesday that journalists' phones had been tapped as part of an investigation into economic crimes. . However, the VOS does not have the power to investigate on national territory, and wiretapping must be carried out under judicial control, as I. Radicova reminded her minister. At the initiative of the daily Pravda, the editors of the main Slovak dailies have launched a joint call for a thorough investigation and the protection of press freedom.
Like in the good old days, Operation "Dama" (Lady)
This resurgence of a practice of the secret police that had known Czechoslovakia placed in the Soviet orbit in the years 1970-80 goes all the more badly in Bratislava that apparently it is not an isolated fact. According to the daily Novy Case, an operation was even allegedly mounted - operation "The Lady". Objective: to listen to Prime Minister Radicova, in particular on a case involving a Secretary of State for the Economy.
A replacement to be named
Pending the appointment of a successor, it is the Secretary of State for Defence, Róbert Ondrejcsák, who until recently was director of the Center for European and North-Atlantic Affairs (CENAA) who is in charge of the interim.
(*) The SaS was the same party that blocked Slovakia's support for the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) in October, forcing the government to seek support from the opposition, under the watchful and worried gaze of other members of the the euro zone. An event that led to a clear loss of credibility for Slovakia on the European scene.
