Good evening. Here is theTuesday, August 27 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Generous “thank-you” for general prosecutor
General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
In a move that has sparked controversy, Slovakia’s General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka, 54, could be poised to receive a lifetime pension under a proposal put forth by a relatively unknown Smer lawmaker, Daniel Karas. The proposal, Karas’ first, seeks to amend the law governing prosecutors and was recently submitted to parliament.
The draft legislation extends not only to standard retirement benefits for prosecutors but offers a notably generous provision for the general prosecutor. Under the proposal, Žilinka and his successors (though not his predecessors) would be eligible for a lifetime pension if they resign after serving at least four years of their seven-year term.
Žilinka, whose tenure has been marked by criticism for quashing a number of charges in high-profile corruption and criminal cases involving former governments under Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer), was elected to the top prosecutorial post in December 2020 by a government led by the OĽaNO party (now rebranded as Slovensko). If passed, the legislation would allow Žilinka to claim his pension as early as January 2025.
Under the proposal, Žilinka—like Fico, who was granted a lifetime pension by a Smer-controlled parliament in June—would receive a monthly amount of €5,300.
Curiously, the bill was introduced by an MP rather than the Justice Ministry, a move that circumvents expert consultations. While parliamentary debate on the measure is still possible, it avoids the standard vetting process typical of ministerial proposals.
While the General Prosecutor’s Office has welcomed the proposal, Žilinka and Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer) have remained quiet, and the opposition parties have criticised the bill.
“What’s supposed to happen now that he deserves to leave?” asked MP Mária Kolíková, a former justice minister from the SaS party, who called the proposal “legalised corruption”. Former MP Juraj Šeliga (Demokrati) asked if the pension was “a thank-you gift for the general prosecutor”.
In 2022, Žilinka’s office dismissed charges against Fico related to forming a criminal group and violating tax secrecy.
Smer MP Daniel Karas ran for mayor of Banská Bystrica in 2022, backed by the Smer party, with support from Smer leader Robert Fico himself (seen in the background of the picture). (source: TASR - Ján Krošlák)
Related: In response to the news about the bill, recently retired prosecutor Matúš Harkabus remarked that what the cabinet is offering is not a “retirement pension” for prosecutors but rather a “payoff to make them leave”. He added, “I hope prosecutors won’t fall for this cheap trick.” Harkabus, who oversaw the case of murdered journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, left the prosecution service in June after Žilinka refused his request for a transfer to a prosecutor’s office closer to home. This came after the abolishment of the Special Prosecutor’s Office in March, where Harkabus had worked, with Žilinka instead assigning him to the General Prosecutor’s Office in a department unrelated to criminal law.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Politics: Is the Smer party and its politics not a problem for Germany at all? German Ambassador to Slovakia Thomas Kurz responds, “We’ll see. We’re all facing domestic issues.”
Courts: Slovakia’s Constitutional Court has rejected complaints from charged National Crime Agency officers linked to Ján Čurilla, who were investigating corruption cases involving former governments led by the Smer party and PM Robert Fico.
Travel: Farma pod Vtáčnikom is Slovakia’s cheese champion and a hidden gem, drawing visitors from far and wide to its acclaimed dairy delights.
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FEATURE STORY
Growing social media group unites Slovak-Americans
Church in Poľanovce, eastern Slovakia. (source: Archive of Michael Meehan)
When Slovak-American Michael John Meehan moved from western Pennsylvania to Philadelphia, he found himself missing the Slovak traditions that had shaped his upbringing. So, he turned to Facebook and started what he thought would be a small group for people like him. Well, it didn’t quite turn out that way, did it?
EVENT
Lúčnica to ignite the square with dance
Fountain in Freedom Square, Bratislava. (source: TASR)
One of the two closing events of Bratislava Cultural Summer will feature a performance by the renowned Lúčnica folk dance ensemble on August 31 at the fountain in Freedom Square. The Saturday performance starts at 19:30, and admission is free.
The Slovak Philharmonic will take the stage at the same location on September 1.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Slovak National Theatre will be led temporarily by Zuzana Ťapáková, who was appointed to the role by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (a nominee of the SNS party) on Tuesday. Ťapáková previously headed TV Markíza, Slovakia’s most-watched television channel, and recently worked as a marketing and PR manager for the scrapped public broadcaster RTVS. She studied theatre and film, but her name also surfaced in a scandal involving the organization of overpriced cultural events associated with Slovakia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2016.
The Justice Ministry has refused to disclose, in response to a freedom of information request, the extraordinary appeal and decision regarding the suspension of the prison sentence that Minister Boris Susko (Smer) used to temporarily release former top prosecutor Dušan Kováčik, who was convicted of corruption. The minister cites the privacy of the former special prosecutor as the reason. As a result, the specific grounds for Susko’s decision remain unclear. The ministry asserts that it does not have Kováčik’s consent to release the information. (Denník N)
“The intensity of the attacks against us is significant. It has a cascading effect: politicians issue press releases, which are then picked up by the media, followed by disinformation media, and eventually discussed on forums. Subsequently, we receive calls from individuals wishing us death in the Danube River,” said Veronika Fishbone Vlčková, director of the Milan Šimečka Foundation, regarding the government’s attacks on the organisation. (Denník N)
Prime Minister Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini, who used to be Fico’s protégé, met on Tuesday for the first time since the attempt on Fico’s life in mid-May 2024. The two, along with interim Speaker of Parliament Peter Žiga (Hlas), will sign a declaration on Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation on September 1. Pellegrini also emphasised that the attack on Fico was an assault on Slovak democracy, accusing the opposition of “extremely hostile political rivalry”.
Schools are seeking 1,423 teaching staff and 12 principals just days before the start of the school year. The highest demand is for math teachers, with the most severe shortage in western Slovakia. Last year, there was a shortage of 1,200 teaching staff before the school year began. (TASR)
Evening rehearsal of the military parade for the 80th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) at Štadler’s Embankment in Banská Bystrica on August 26, 2024. (source: TASR - Ján Krošlák)
WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Wednesday will be very warm, with temperatures climbing between 27°C and 35°C. Heat warnings will be in effect during the afternoon, so do take precautions if you are out and about.(SHMÚ)
AUGUST 28 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Augustín.
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