Kotleba may be jailed for up to 8 years for controversial cheques

If convicted, he may even lose his parliamentary seat.

ĽSNS chair Marian Kotleba arrives at the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok on March 5, 2020. ĽSNS chair Marian Kotleba arrives at the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok on March 5, 2020. (Source: Sme)

Marian Kotleba, chair of the far-right Kotlebovci – People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS), may spend eight years in prison.

He returned to the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok on March 5, more than a month after the trial regarding the controversial cheques, worth €1,488, began.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

Kotleba, accompanied by his supporters, has been claiming since the very beginning that he does not feel guilty. He decided to not give testimony but pledged to do so later, the TASR newswire reported.

Judge Ružena Sabová admitted in late January that she is considering reclassifying the case. Based on the 422nd paragraph, Kotleba is charged with expressing support for a movement that advocates the suppression of fundamental rights and freedoms. However, he could also be charged with the crime of establishing, supporting and promoting such a movement as described in paragraph 421 of the Criminal Code.

SkryťTurn off ads

If the judge actually reclassifies the case, which is possible since she has already accepted new evidence in the form of the ĽSNS slate for the 2020 election on which newly elected MPs appeared although they had criminal convictions, Kotleba could spend up to eight years in prison.

If convicted, Kotleba will lose his parliamentary seat, the Sme daily reported.

The trial will continue on April 9 and May 15.

14 and 88 as a Nazi symbol

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

Janka, a blogger, during the inauguration of the first flight to Athens with Aegean Airlines at the airport in Bratislava on September 14, 2023.

A Czech rail operator connects Prague and Ukraine, Dominika Cibulková endorses Pellegrini, and Bratislava events.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad