Eccentric independent MP Alojz Hlina on Tuesday welcomed the adoption of a Smer-SD sponsored law introducing tougher regulations on companies providing easy loans at high interest rates, announcing that he is likely to go out and tear off their ads in vehicles belonging to Bratislava city’s public transport company.
“We have the whole of Bratislava and the city transport pasted over with ads promoting total usurers. The public should be obliged to rip off such ads ... I can’t rule out that even I might venture out to tear off these ads myself, which certainly shouldn't be placed in public transport vehicles”, said Hlina, calling on Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák to prompt the police to be tough on usurers. Earlier this year, Hlina along with several dozen others staged a protest in front of the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Ministry demanding the dismissal of ministry State Secretary Jozef Burian, who, according to Hlina “was a co-owner of a usury-like non-banking institution”. “I believe that it's an expression of cynicism that the governing Smer-SD nominated to such a post a person involved in such a company”, said Hlina, whose protests were unsuccessful, with the governing Smer-SD party keeping Burian in his post.
