Bratislava, June 22 (CTK) – Robert Fico, leader of the strongest coalition government party Smer-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) and a former prime minister, announced today he would draft the law under which NGOs would have to release details about their financing, including money from abroad.
In an interview with the online television station Tablet.tv, Fico accused the third sector of an effort to bring about the fall of his government after the February murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee in February.
Public protests after the crime brought about a political crisis which forced Fico to resign.
“In autumn, a bill will be sent to the parliament. It will bind all sector organisations to say who finances them, whether it is from abroad or not. We want to cast a light on the financial flows,” Fico said.
Thanks to the register, it will be possible to find out the way of financing of a specific organisation, Fico said, citing in this connection repeatedly U.S. financier and philanthropist of Hungarian origin George Soros.
“Let the third sector work in the sphere of human rights, arts and other things. If Soros wants to finance the publication of books, let it be so. If someone finances a part of the third sector and this sector stages anti-government demonstrations, I cannot agree with this,” Fico said.
Last week, organisers of the anti-government demonstrations filed a criminal complaint over slander and scare-mongering due to Fico’s statement that the third sector tried to topple his government.
Bela Bugar, the leader of the Most-Hid party, the smallest coalition government member, told the portal Aktuality.sk he did not fear a development similar to that in Hungary. In it, the government of Viktor Orban enacted anti-migrant legislation primarily targeting the organisations supported by Soros.
At present, foundations have to have their accountancy checked by an auditor if they receive over 200,000 euros from third persons in Slovakia.
Fico resigned in March and then a new government was formed by Smer-SD deputy chairman Peter Pellegrini. Fico has accused President Andrej Kiska of destabilising the country and warned of his meeting Soros last year.