Murdered Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak was probing alleged high-level political corruption linked to the Italian mafia, the news portal he worked for revealed Wednesday.
The killing has sparked the resignation of senior political figures and calls for new anti-corruption protests in the EU state after a wave of demonstrations last year.
The publication of Kuciak’s article for aktuality.sk focusing on fraud cases involving businessmen linked to Prime Minister Robert Fico’s governing SMER-SD party forced three close associates to step down Wednesday.
These include his culture minister and Maria Troskova, a close aide that Kuciak alleged had ties to Italian businessmen purportedly involved with the ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate.
Opposition politicians have also demanded the interior minister and police chief step down, accusing them of failing to protect Kuciak when he filed criminal complaints after receiving threats.
This prompted Fico to accuse the opposition of using the murder to play politics.
Kuciak, 27, and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were found shot dead on Sunday at his home in Velka Maca, a town east of the capital Bratislava, raising concerns media freedoms and corruption in Slovakia.
At the stroke of midnight, aktuality.sk published Kuciak’s last, unfinished investigative report on possible political links to Italian businessmen with alleged ties to Calabria’s notorious ‘Ndrangheta mafia supposedly operating in eastern Slovakia.
“Two people from the circles of a man who came to Slovakia as someone accused in a mafia case in Italy have daily access to the country’s prime minister,” Kuciak wrote.
“Italians with ties to the mafia have found a second home in Slovakia. They started doing business, receiving subsidies, drawing EU funds, but especially building relationships with influential people in politics — even in the government office of the Slovak Republic,” the article said.
Troskova, 30, and crisis management officer Viliam Jasan said Wednesday they had given up their post for the duration of the murder investigation, but flatly denied any links to the crime.
“But as our names are being abused in the political struggle against Prime Minister Robert Fico, we decided to leave our positions at the government office until the investigation into this case is completed,” they said in a statement.
Culture Minister Marek Madaric quit earlier on Wednesday telling reporters that “after what has happened, I cannot imagine just calmly sitting in my minister’s chair.”
Slovakia’s leading SME broadsheet had first revealed details of Kuciak’s investigation into alleged mob operations in Slovakia on Tuesday.
The report triggered an angry rebuke from Fico, who showed reporters stacks of euro bills totalling the one-million-euro ($1.2-million) reward he has offered for information that could lead to the killers.
“Do not link innocent people without any evidence to a double homicide. It’s crossing the line. It’s no longer funny,” he warned on Tuesday.
The Kuciak shooting followed the October murder of campaigning Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia — who exposed crime and corruption on the Mediterranean island — in a car bombing.
Slovak Police commander Tibor Gaspar, who has said the motive was “most likely” related to Kuciak’s investigative journalism, warned reporters that publishing details of the case could tip off suspects.
Political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told AFP the murder and its possible links to the Slovak political elite “could prompt a political earthquake”.
“A red line has been crossed. This case could shake the electorate of the governing SMER-SD party to its foundations.”
Fico, who once told journalists they were “dirty, anti-Slovak prostitutes”, met the editors of top Slovak media outlets on Tuesday to assure them of his government’s commitment to the “protection of freedom of speech and the safety of journalists”.
Anti-corruption protests are being planned in the capital, after thousands of mostly young Slovaks joined similar rallies last year demanding the dismissal of senior government and police officials for alleged foot-dragging on fighting graft. Transparency International ranks Slovakia as the seventh most corrupt EU member. (With AFP)
