A supreme court justice has laid criminal charges against chief justice Štefan Harabin for abuse of power, alleging that Harabin demanded the return of travel expenses he had earlier promised the court would pay.
In addition to charges laid by the judge, Peter Paluda, Harabin may face a court challenge from another judge, Štefan Detvai, whom he defeated in an election to another five-year term as chief justice last month by voting for himself.
In the vote, Harabin's ballot for himself gave him the minimum 10 votes he needed on the judicial council to secure another term.
Harabin, an opponent of the justice ministry's judicial sector reform plan, is regarded as a major barrier to increasing the reputation of Slovakia's courts for corruption.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
