Slovak President Appoints New Head Of Intelligence Agency

PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) Slovak President Zuzana Caputova appointed Michal Alac as new head of the country's intelligence agency, Slovak Information Service (SIS), after his candidacy was approved by the Cabinet, the agency announced on Thursday.

"On May 6, 2021, President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Caputova appointed JUDr. Michal Alac PhD. Director General of the Slovak Information Service on the proposal of the Cabinet," the SIS official statement reads.

Alac's predecessor, Vladimir Pcolinsky, was accused of corruption in January and is currently awaiting trial in prison. Last fall, one of Pcolinsky's deputies was also detained on corruption charges.

"It is my goal to manage the service so that it is viewed as a politically independent and professional intelligence agency in every its aspect in advancing the strategic interests of the Slovak Republic," the new intelligence chief said in a statement.

According to the SIS, Alac will be tasked with restoring the public's trust in the agency and maintaining its image as a reliable partner.

Slovak media reported earlier that 35-year-old Alac majored in criminal law at the University of Trnava and attended Faculty of Law at the University in Kosice. He is a long-time employee at the SIS and previously held positions from senior assistant to deputy director of the department.