Bratislava - The Czech Republic has failed to handle the recent wave of bootleg alcohol deaths, Slovak Agriculture Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said in the "V politike" talk show broadcast by Slovakia's TA3 channel.

"The supervision and control system in the Czech Republic has failed. Security agencies have failed, they must have had information and I believe they did," said the minister.

"Food control and hygiene authorities have failed, and given the fact that the whole bootleg alcohol production system was covered up somehow, I believe that the police have failed as well," said Jahnatek.

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Eight people have been hospitalized in Slovakia on suspicion of methanol poisoning. The government issued a ban on imports of Czech liquor on September 18. Furthermore, the Agriculture Ministry suggests withdrawing the Czech liquor that is already in the Slovak market, and returning it to the Czech Republic.

"We will ask for the Czech alcohol to be withdrawn from the market and sent back," said the minister, adding that Slovakia will only accept the Czech alcohol produced after the date when the current ban on liquor sale in the Czech Republic is withdrawn.

"Until the Czech Republic puts its alcohol in order, we will not consider bringing Czech liquor back to stores.

"This can last until the end of the year, until we are 100 percent sure that their alcohol is all right," Agriculture Ministry spokeswoman Magda Toth-Zelenakova said to Slovak Internet newspaper Aktualne.sk.

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