The release from custody of the former Prosecutor General Dobroslav Trnka, suspected of misuse of a public official's powers raised questions among the public as well as across the entire political spectrum.
"The supervising prosecutor examined the motion on charges against D.T. in the criminal issue in question, as well as the related dossier, and found that the objective substance of the crime of misuse of a public official's powers wasn't present," stated Jana Tökölyová, spokesperson of the Special Prosecutor's Office. She added that the prosecutor thus deemed it irrelevant to consider reasons for remanding Trnka in custody.
In her reaction, President Zuzana Čaputová wrote on her social media profile that she would summon incumbent Prosecutor General Jaromír Čižnár and Police Corps President Milan Lučanský, with the intention of asking them to explain the steps taken in the case.
Justice Minister Gábor Gál (Most-Híd) was surprised by the decision to release Trnka from police detention. He pointed out that as Justice Minister he has no power over measures taken either by the police or the prosecutor's office in the case.
"It might have its rationale, which we'll come to see in, say, six months; it may be a procedural trick - or it's perhaps someone's failure," said Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party).
Both parliamentary as well as non-parliamentary opposition parties are confident that releasing former prosecutor-general Dobroslav Trnka from police detention was a mistake and call upon the authorities to explain what guided them to do so.
Trnka was taken into custody last Thursday and was released on Friday even though the Police proposed to remand him in custody. Trnka faced hearings regarding the so called Lemikon case, which was mentioned in a leaked 10-year-old video. In the recording, Trnka discussed with then Finance Minister for Smer-SD Ján Počiatek the shady circumstances of a deal with Cyprus-based company Lemikon. Moreover, the two debated other scandals, indicating suspicions of corruption in the first government of Robert Fico from 2006 to 2010.
