A judge of the Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica has suspended criminal proceedings in the Purgatory case, filing a motion to initiate proceedings before the Constitutional Court. Spokeswoman Katarina Kudjakova confirmed the information for TASR press agency. "On October 19, based on the relevant provision of the Criminal Procedure Code, a single judge of the Specialised Criminal Court discontinued the prosecution in this criminal case because he believed that a generally binding legal regulation of a lower legal force, the application of which in the given criminal case is decisive for deciding on guilt and punishment, is in conflict with a generally binding legal regulation of a higher legal force and with an international treaty," said the spokeswoman. The reason given for the move concerns possible interference with an accused individual's right to a fair trial and to an effective appeal. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court doesn't have a deadline for ruling on the motion. A total of 11 individuals have been indicted with 20 corruption crimes in the Purgatory case, which revolves around former top police officials, including ex-police chief Tibor G. (name abbreviated due to legal reasons). The charges were pressed in December of last year.
Source: TASR
