Kolíková: Celý trestný proces máme nastavený zle. Kajúcnikom sa vláda venuje až príliš detailne

·42 min·4 clips

Why is Slovakia's government so determined to strip cooperating defendants of their weight in court, and how does this connect to the Kuciak murder and 'Očistec' corruption case?

The episode is a daily political interview show focused on current affairs in Slovakia. Host Braňo Závodský introduces the topic: the government, after a previous attempt was suspended by the Constitutional Court, is proposing a new law to fundamentally weaken the legal status of cooperating defendants (colloquially 'kajucníci'). The guest is Mária Kolíková, former Justice Minister and deputy chair of the opposition SaS party. The host notes that Justice Minister Boris Susko declined an invitation to debate. Kolíková is critical from the outset, stating the entire criminal process is poorly set up, citing low penalties for corruption and tax crimes. She frames the new proposal within a pattern of rapid, problematic legal changes by the current coalition. The core of the discussion analyzes the specifics of the new proposal. Kolíková challenges the government's narrative that it is inspired by the Italian legal system, arguing only the 180-day deadline for confessions is borrowed, ignoring Italy's three-year deliberation. She identifies a critical detail: the proposal requires 'confirming' evidence for a cooperating defendant's testimony, rather than 'supporting' evidence, which she argues could invalidate testimony even if a web of other evidence exists. She expresses concern over transitional provisions that would apply the new rules to live, ongoing cases, potentially disrupting proceedings like the Kuciak murder trial where a cooperating defendant (Marián Kočner's associate) is key. The interview broadens to the political context. Kolíková suggests the amendment is purposefully designed to aid defendants in specific cases, mentioning the 'Očistec' case involving Smer's Tibor Gašpar and Norbert Bödör. She criticizes Prime Minister Robert Fico for focusing on the defense of prosecuted individuals rather than state governance. The conversation then shifts to a recent police inspection action ('akcia Kajucník') that detained a prosecutor and former investigators, which Kolíková calls a strange and dangerous precedent of police overreach into the prosecutor's office. Finally, the host raises two other current issues. Kolíková comments on the visit of EU Commissioner Věra Jourová, disputing PM Fico's claim that Slovakia's rule of law problems stem from a 'trauma' of 2020-2023, instead pointing to uninvestigated high-level corruption. The episode concludes with discussion of a leaked 2020 conversation where Hungary's foreign minister asked Russia to arrange a meeting for then-Slovak PM Peter Pellegrini, which SaS has reported to the General Prosecutor's Office as suspected foreign election interference.

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