Decision of Belgian court in Chovanec case postponed until September 25

The decision of the Belgian court of inquiry in the case of the death of Slovak national Jozef Chovanec, which was due to be announced on Monday (June 3), has been adjourned until September 25, the prosecutor's office in Charleroi, Belgium said on Tuesday.

In January of this year, the prosecutor's office decided to drop charges against a total of 31 people. According to the prosecutor's office, the airport police officers and paramedics called in to deal with Chovanec were not responsible for his death. However, Slovakia, which is acting as a so-called civil party in the proceedings, has requested that the case be transferred to a criminal court. The decision of the court of inquiry was postponed for the first time in March due to the absence of the presiding judge due to illness.

“The Justice Ministry is currently obtaining, processing and evaluating the available documents and information necessary for a decision on the further procedure in the case," said Miriama Gasparikova of the ministry's press department.

Chovanec died in February 2018 after being arrested by the Belgian federal police at Charleroi airport and the subsequent controversial actions of police officers.

(TASR)