Fico’s government mulls dismantling agency that handles corruption

Bratislava’s efforts to amend the country’s penal code could put an end to the police’s leading anti-corruption unit “as we know it”, said Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, adding that his ministry has already been working on reorganising the police force.

In an interview for denník Štandard, Interior Minister Šutaj Eštok said he deems the National Crime Agency (NAKA) as an “overstretched” organisation that needs to change, confirming his ministry has been already “working on the reorganisation of the police force”.

Although it is unclear whether NAKA will be abolished entirely, the minister admitted in the interview that such an option exists.

NAKA, which was created during the second government of Robert Fico at the end of 2012 and acts as the organisational unit of the Slovak Police, investigates particularly serious and socially dangerous crimes, including corruption offences, drug crimes, premeditated murders, economic and financial crimes, organised crime, and crimes of extremism and terrorism.

Throughout the years, The National Crime Agency investigated and uncovered numerous cases of organised crime, including some of the most prominent, such as those investigated by murdered journalist Ján Kuciak.

Some cases involved nominees of Smer-led governments, including Tibor Gašpar, a former police president, now an MP for Smer.

A possible dismantling of NAKA counts as another step in Smer’s coalition attempts to change the prosecution system in Slovakia. The current government also keeps working towards passing legislation that would dissolve the Special Prosecutor’s Office, reduce penalties (also) for corruption and weaken whistleblower protection.

Bratislava’s efforts have already received strong criticism from Brussels. The opposition parties are blocking the parliament, postponing the reforms’ implementation, and organising the fourth round of anti-government protests in several Slovak cities, which are due to continue on Thursday.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)