Police have detained a suspect in the case of the murder of former Economy Minister and Slovak Gas Director Ján Ducký, the daily paper Sme wrote on March 26.
The man, an underworld figure, is known as 'Alex,' and is a member of the Ukrainian mafia in Slovakia. Alex was caught during a police rescue action for the kidnapped child of Mr. R., from whom Alex along with his accomplices had been attempting to extort money.
The Ukrainian mafia is also suspected of participation in the 1998 murders of two Bratislava underworld bosses - the brothers Eduard and Róbert Dinič - and in the invasion of the headquarters of the private station Markíza TV last falll.
The director of the Interior Ministry's investigation section, Jaroslav Ivor, refused to comment on the information printed by the newspaper.
The police have given several versions of why Ducký was murdered, including his connection with privatisation deals as Economy Minister, his commercial activities as the director of the state utility Slovak Gas (SPP), as well as his involvement in football sponsorship.
