Prosecutor General dismisses high-level corruption charges

Slovakia’s progress in the fight against corruption is being called into doubt as the newly appointed prosecutor general, Maroš Žilinka, has made use of an extraordinary measure to dismiss closely watched corruption cases on the day the police chief accused of obstruction of justice resigned.

Among those walking free is a Secret Service director backed by a governmental party and accused of taking bribes, Vladimír Pčolinský. Pčolinský spent the last six months in detention as his nominating party Sme rodina lobbied heavily for legislative changes which would allow him to be prosecuted out of jail.

Žilinka also dismissed the charges of Slovakia’s second-richest man, investor Jaroslav Haščák. Haščák was charged for his role in the “Gorila” corruption scandal dating back to 2011.

On the same day, police chief Peter Kovařík resigned after the prosecutor general charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of justice. Kovařík maintains his innocence.

The prosecutor general used an extraordinary measure that was criticised during nomination hearings, to claim the charges were unfounded and based on procedural errors. The move was called ‘deeply worrying’ by deputy PM Veronika Remišová.