General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
Just over a year after Slovakia disbanded its Special Prosecutor’s Office – a key institution in major corruption cases – the General Prosecutor’s Office has quietly reorganised to create a powerful new unit under a different name, according to the Slovak daily Sme.
In March 2024, a Department of Serious Crime was set up within the General Prosecutor’s Office, staffed by eight prosecutors – most of them former members of the dissolved special office. General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka insisted at the time that the new unit was not a “mini” replacement loyal to him.
But in June 2025, the department was elevated to a full directorate – a higher-ranking entity with broader powers and direct reporting lines to the general prosecutor. Officials say the change reflects Slovakia’s commitment to protecting European Union funds, especially after Brussels raised concerns over the legal overhaul that led to the dismantling of the special office.
