Mafia practices from the 1990s have not disappeared, as experienced by shepherds in central Slovakia, who were forced to flee their sheepfold due to fear for their lives. One shepherd was blackmailed and planned to be kidnapped, while another became a “patsy” for illegal activities. The shepherds faced severe threats, including planned murder.
"I have been a shepherd for 17 years, since I was a boy. I'm 42 now. Most people don't want to do this job anymore because of the early mornings and lack of weekends," explained Peter Tirpák, the shepherd. The dangerous nature of their work, often filled by people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, led to frequent changes in the workforce.
In 2021, events began to spiral as their lives were entwined in a web of unpleasant circumstances they couldn’t control. Branislav Sivák, a former taxi driver, was a key figure involved, with past criminal activities beginning to emerge. He attempted to pressure them into illegal dealings and even tried to coerce land ownership changes.
Extortion and Blackmail: A Dangerous Escalation
After being blackmailed, shepherd Dušan Jurčak went to file a criminal complaint, but the case was eventually dismissed in 2022. Sivák's criminal history escalated to a new level when he was convicted of extortion, with an appeal later requiring further examination of additional cases. In one instance, Sivák held Dušan at gunpoint, threatening him with violence and further extortion.
Despite the tension, the shepherds were not safe, as threats of kidnapping were issued, prompting them to seek police protection. Meanwhile, Peter Tirpák was wrongly accused by two former shepherds of exploitation and human trafficking, though the prosecutor dismissed these claims. However, Tirpák was later informed of a murder plot against him, forcing him to face even greater threats.
The Hidden Hand Behind the Threats
The situation is believed to be orchestrated by a businessman from Bardejov, whose name remains undisclosed due to lack of suspicion. Defense lawyer Matúš Motyka criticized the mafia tactics involved: "Kidnapping, extortion, and murder really don't belong in the 21st century. It's already moved to white-collar crimes, not to these lowest mafia practices from the '90s."
In the face of these terrifying events, Peter Tirpák emphasized, "I don't understand what they want from us. We haven't done anything to them; we had nothing to do with them. It's really sick that someone would order a murder. I have three children, I have a wife." Both Dušan Jurčak and Jozef Gerboc also spoke of their ongoing fear.
Source: STVR
