Kaliňák provided a cover-up for kidnap

On July 25, 2017, the Vietnamese intelligence service put a Vietnamese national, Trinh Xuan Thanh, whom it had kidnaped in Germany two days earlier, into a Slovak government plane in Bratislava, say Slovak policemen and bodyguards who were present. Ex-minister Robert Kaliňák was aware of the action. The government plane flew Thanh to Moscow, and he was later sentenced to life in prison for corruption in Vietnam. The policemen and bodyguards wish to stay anonymous, as their version of events contradicts the official one Kaliňák is feeding to the media. Under his command, the Slovak police declined to investigate the kidnap, although one person has already been sentenced in Germany for involvement. (N/2)

Kaliňák denies his involvement, and maintains that Thanh was not onboard the Slovak plane. He is irritated by the demands of the Most-Híd coalition party to set up a parliamentary investigation committee and launch a police investigation. Most-Híd also demands the provision of whistleblower protection to policemen willing to come forward and provide information to investigators.

(N/2)