Businessman Zoroslav Kollár (l) was brought to NAKA. (source: SME)
The raid against corruption in courts continues.
The police have detained influential businessman Zoroslav Kollár, who appeared on the so-called mafia lists, and several judges on the morning of October 28, as part of Operation Víchrica (Gale). These include former vice president of the Supreme Court Jarmila Urbancová, Supreme Court Judge Jozef Kolcon, and Judge Katarína Bartalská, the Sme daily reported.
They have been transported to Nitra, where the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) is headquartered.
Apart from them, former state secretary of the Justice Ministry, Monika Jankovská, and Judge Richard Molnár have been transported there, Sme wrote.
Jankovská was detained earlier this year during Operation Búrka (Storm). She was transported to the Special Prosecutor’s Office on October 27, and spent several hours there. She is allegedly ready to start talking, according to Sme.
The media reports suggest that another judge from the Bratislava III District Court, David Lindtner, was detained, too.
Corruption-related suspicions
Kolcun has been charged with accepting bribes of €30,000 and €10,000, according to Sme. His lawyer maintains his innocence, though, and called the accusations “the fabrications of doctor [Vladimír] Sklenka”.
As Kolcun is still an active judge, his detention will have to be assessed by the Constitutional Court.
Molnár was detained in March. After October 28, he faces charges of accepting a bribe and trying to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
