Martin Sklenár, who was defense minister from May to October 2023, was speaking to TVP World in response to the formation of the special investigative team, called DACRA.
The team will look into the supply of weapons to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Slovakian military aid to Kyiv has included various types of equipment, including decommissioned Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, S-300 air defense systems, infantry fighting vehicles, demining equipment and helicopters.
In total, Bratislava has donated about €700 million to Kyiv, according to a report published last month by Slovakia’s Supreme Audit Office (SAO), an independent constitutional body responsible for auditing public finances.
During a press conference on Thursday, Matúš Šutaj Eštok, the Slovakian interior minister, said there was a need for criminal accountability for what he described as the “unprecedented disarmament of the Slovakian army and the threat to the safety of all people in Slovakia.”
It is alleged that the government purchased military equipment, citing the needs of the country’s army, but the real motive was to classify the items as surplus and transfer them to Ukraine.
The issue of military aid to Ukraine was a focal point for politicians of the then-opposition before the 2023 parliamentary elections. Robert Fico, who emerged victorious from the election as the new prime minister, has been accused of harboring pro-Moscow sentiments and has halted the supply of military supplies to Kyiv.
“It [the establishment of the committee] certainly looks politically motivated,” Sklenár told TVP World. “At the press conference, the interior minister was actually implying [he knew] the results of the upcoming investigation.
“In the election campaign, the coalition parties strongly used accusations of the alleged illegality of actions of the previous government, and their voters expect to see results,” he continued. “Since the allegations are not based on reality, they were not able to deliver on their election promise, so are trying to create the appearance of results.”
Jaroslav Naď, who was defense minister from March 2020 to May 2023, also attacked the establishment of DACRA, claiming the move is designed to deflect public attention from the growing problems within the current coalition government.
He added: “I am not afraid of the investigation. I am ready to participate at any stage. I know very well that we have helped save lives in Ukraine by providing them with military material or equipment.”
