The Bratislava III District Court has returned for further investigation a case against former members of the SIS secret service who in 1995 allegedly tried to discredit a bishop in the sale of a valuable triptych painting of The Three Kings.
The court’s decision means that not one of the serious charges against the SIS from its time under the leadership of Ivan Lexa – including fraud, sabotage and the kidnapping of the former president’s son – will be resolved before the end of the Dzurinda’s government’s term in office.
Solving the cases and bringing the culprits to book was one of the main promises Dzurinda made when coming to power in 1998.
“This is a scandal,” said Justice Minister former head of office Daniel Lipšic. “This decision shows the justice system is incapable of being revived.”
The court said the triptych case, regarded as the simplest of all the SIS suits, needed further investigation.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
