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Slovak prosecutors mentioned on Wednesday that the governor of the nation’s central financial institution, Peter Kazimir, had been charged with a “corruption-related crime”.
The overall prosecutor’s workplace mentioned that the cost in opposition to Kazimir, who can be a member of the European Central Financial institution’s governing council, had been introduced on October 8, however declined to offer any additional info, citing the “early stage of the legal case”.
The assertion from prosecutors follows Slovak media reviews that Kazimir, who served as finance minister earlier than taking over the reins of the Nationwide Financial institution of Slovakia in 2019, had been charged in a case referring to an alleged bribe for a former senior tax official.
The web site aktuality.sk wrote that Kazimir was alleged to have performed the position of a “courier” in bringing a bribe of about €50,000 to the previous official.
Kazimir mentioned on Tuesday night after the report was printed that he did “not really feel responsible of committing any legal acts”.
“The data offered isn’t true and the reasoning within the given assertion lacks corroborating proof,” he mentioned in a press release issued through the Nationwide Financial institution of Slovakia.
“I’ve no info and I’m not conscious of any violation of the legislation. I’ve by no means had any curiosity in influencing any proceedings.”
Kazimir’s lawyer mentioned that Kazimir had been accused of bribery and would “battle, problem the accusation and file a grievance within the matter of days”.
The Slovak central financial institution declined to remark past releasing Kazimir’s feedback. The ECB additionally declined to remark.
The cost in opposition to Kazimir comes amid a broader collection of investigations into alleged corruption in Slovakia’s enterprise and political elite that have been set in practice after the murder of younger investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in 2018.
Police linked the killings to Kuciak’s work investigating corruption, and the case despatched shockwaves by the central European nation, resulting in the resignation of then prime minister Robert Fico, in 2018, and finally to the ousting of his Smer social gathering in parliamentary elections final 12 months.
Slovakia’s president Zuzana Caputova mentioned on Wednesday that she revered the presumption of innocence in relation to Kazimir. However she added that if she have been in his place, she would contemplate resigning with a view to safety the central financial institution, in response to the newspaper Dennik N.
Kazimir reiterated on Wednesday that he had “not dedicated any crime” and would “proceed to carry out my duties as governor”.
“I’ll do every part to clear my title and defend the establishment I signify,” he mentioned.
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