An infiltration to the heart of the Slovak state, the unfinished investigation of Jan Kuciak (V2)
(B2) Jan Kuciak was investigating a hot topic: the presence and infiltration of the Italian mafia, particularly Calabrian (the 'Ndrangheta), in the Slovak economy and up to a certain level of the State. Daily life online News, to which he belonged, published the first elements of the investigation, supporting diagram, on which the young journalist, murdered last week in his house some 60 km from Bratislava, was working (read: Ján Kuciak murdered by whom? Why ?). The article, even unfinished, is eloquent… and worrying.
What do we learn?
Several characters with links to the Italian mafia - Carmine Cinnante, Antonino Vadala - came to take refuge in Slovakia to escape trials or convictions in Italy. They did business, received grants, especially from Europe, and most importantly, established relationships with politically influential people especially in the government office.
Millions of EU grants
These men manage hundreds to thousands of hectares of land, and as such receive European subsidies. For the years 2015 and 2016 alone, their companies managed to obtain more than eight million euros in direct payments from the agricultural payments agency, indicates News. Vadala thus creates companies with a vengeance, in particular GIA management with Mária Trošková. He also has as a business partner, Viliam Jasaň.
An infiltration into the heart of state security?
Two characters that we find… at the top of the State. First of all, Mária Trošková is an advisor to Prime Minister Robert Fico. Aged 30, a former top model, she is also chief of staff to Viliam Jasaň, the office director of the State Security Council or Bezpečnostnej rady štátu (BR SR). A consultative body which has a primary role in the security of the Slovak Republic. Chaired by Prime Minister Robert Fico, it includes the main ministers concerned by a security problem (Interior, Defense, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Economy, Justice, Transport, Health).
An organization aware of all defense secrets… and of NATO?
Its role is to assess the security situation in the Slovak Republic and in the world. It prepares proposals for government measures on crisis prevention. In other words, it can access certain analysis documents of the services, classified as "defence secret". Its 2018 work programme thus provides for it to be informed of the various NATO crisis exercises (such as the CMX 17 crisis management exercise), the state of nuclear safety, energy and food supplies, the number of soldiers employed, their distribution, their equipment and the installations of the armed forces, etc.
The two individuals announced this Wednesday (February 28) their intention to resign but said “ categorically reject any connection with this tragedy. Our names were abused in the political struggle against Prime Minister Robert Fico ».
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
A request for information sent to the Slovak authorities
Asked during the daily press briefing on Thursday 1 March, the spokesperson for the Commission recalled that " Member States (were) primarily responsible for the legal management of European funds”. The European executive thus sent “ a letter to the competent authority in Slovakia requesting information on the possible misuse of agricultural funds " he added. The Commission has “not no tolerance for fraud with European funds. And we therefore insist on a clear commitment by all Member States to prevent fraud ". (CB/ES)