The attorney general's office announced that unspecified criminal charges had been filed against supreme court chief justice Stefan Harabin, who in December was re-elected to a five year term as the head of the country's highest court.
Harabin, in his first term from 1997-2002, became notorious for using bonuses to reward supreme court justices according to the decisions they issued, for defending a subordinate who hacked his way into a justice ministry flat with an axe, and for refusing to permit a computerised random case assignment system to be installed at the supreme court.
His re-election was criticised by some justice experts as a blow to reform of Slovakia's justice system, which is under heavy fire for corruption, delays and incompetence.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
