BRATISLAVA, May 23, (WEBNOVINY) — Chairman of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries Jozef Holjencik fired back at Speaker of the Slovak Parliament and liberal SaS party leader Richard Sulik, who in his opinion owes something to corporate lobbyists behind his party. At a news conference on Friday, Sulik called Holjencik a Harabin [Supreme Court President — SITA note] of the Slovak energy industry and held him responsible for the fact that Slovakia has the highest rates for distribution of electricity. Holjencik countered that this was not true because prices for power distribution in Slovakia were below EU median. He further complained about the attempts to outs him through a deliberate change in the regulation law. “I doubt that Mr. Sulik would object to the fact that also his supporters saw no increase in power and gas prices over two years since my appointment, while growth in this third year has been only minimal. I probably am a thorn in the side of someone else; namely the corporate lobbyists behind the party SaS whom Mr. Sulik likely owes something. Therefore, he is desperately pushing for an obedient puppet that will dance to sponsors’ tune,” Holjencik said in reaction to the briefing.
The incumbent leadership of the Economy Ministry managed by SaS-nominee Juraj Miskov has questioned the level of the authority’s independence. The ministry dislikes the fact that incumbent head of the regulation board Holjencik simultaneously serves as the regulator’s chairman. The board is meant to act as a second-instance appellate body of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries. This situation has lasted for four years. Holjencik has dismissed the allegations that the regulator is not independent.
SITA