Marta Šimečková charged in Projekt Fórum subsidy fraud case

The Slovak National Crime Agency has brought charges of subsidy fraud against Marta Šimečková and Andrea Puková regarding the Projekt Fórum association. The investigation concerns the alleged improper use of subsidies totaling approximately 90,179 EUR between 2018 and 2022.

Tibor Gašpar, Deputy Speaker of Parliament from the Smer party, has alleged that the fraudulent funds may have been used to repay loans to Michal Šimečka, leader of the Progressive Slovakia party, and to cover his personal expenses. Gašpar suggested that if Michal Šimečka had knowledge of the source of these funds, he could be liable for complicity or money laundering.

Michal Šimečka has denied any connection between the Progressive Slovakia party and the Projekt Fórum case, directing inquiries to his legal counsel. He also criticized the timing of the allegations, citing political motivations.

Marta Šimečková’s defense attorney, Matúš Harkabus, has reviewed the 127-page indictment and identified what he describes as serious legal issues regarding the principles of individual criminal responsibility and causality. Harkabus clarified that the indictment does not state the funds were stolen for personal use, but rather that the subsidies were used or provided inappropriately. He also contested claims of duplicate invoice payments, stating that while identical invoices were submitted to different institutions, the matter of intent versus negligence remains under investigation.