A memorial event was held in the center of Košice on Saturday to commemorate journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, who were murdered eight years ago. According to the organizers, the gathering was not only a tribute to their memory but also a reminder that the couple’s legacy endures in the continued pursuit of a just, open, and decent society.
Among the speakers was Martina Kušnírová’s mother, Zlatica Kušnírová. She emphasized that the young couple, who had been planning their future together, were killed because the truth uncovered by Kuciak was inconvenient to powerful interests. She thanked supporters for their solidarity and urged them not to forget, but to stand firmly on the side of truth, humanity, and justice.
The eighth anniversary of the murders was also marked by Slovaks living abroad. In Prague, several dozen people gathered on Saturday, where former Slovak diplomat, politician, and actress Magda Vášáryová addressed the crowd. She described the killings of Kuciak and Kušnírová as a mafia-style execution.
Commemorative events were also held in Brno, Brussels, Kraków, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Berlin, London, and Copenhagen.
Kuciak and Kušnírová were shot dead on 21 February 2018 in their home in Veľká Mača, in the Trnava Region.
Three verdicts in the case have become final. The convicted perpetrators, Miroslav Marček and Tomáš Szabó, were sentenced to 25 years in prison, while Zoltán Andruskó received a 15-year sentence.
In the case concerning the alleged masterminds, Marian Kočner and Alena Zsuzsová remain on trial. Two previous rulings were overturned by the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic, and the case has been returned for a third time to the Specialised Criminal Court.
Source: TASR
