Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) disagrees with the Prosecutor General’s Office (GP SR) assessment of anti-corruption efforts in the forthcoming rule of law report. Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka confirmed meeting Fico and stands by the GP’s position, noting that after the police reorganization, prosecutions for corruption fell significantly, with indictments in 2025 dropping about 70% compared to 2024. He also said no high-level corruption cases were uncovered last year and called changes to the Criminal Code and police reorganization a failure.
Žilinka criticized the legislative process for major legal changes as a “parody,” arguing that neither the prosecutor general nor staff can respond overnight to waves of amendments in parliament. He emphasized that proper legislative procedure is necessary for the prosecution to provide input. “Simply put, we are not magicians who can react immediately to every amendment, and we are not obliged to do so,” he said. He also rejected claims that his meeting with Fico was secret, explaining that he was never alone with the prime minister. Žilinka described the fight against corruption at the highest levels as “catastrophic” and said that the prime minister had a different interpretation of the statistical data, while noting that he sees no reason to resign before his term ends in 2027.
Fico criticized Žilinka for publicizing their 2 February meeting, calling it “interference in political competition” and a one-sided attack. Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák said dozens of corruption filings were submitted, many halted by the prosecution, while Sports Minister Rudolf Huliak noted the GP merely presented his own work without action.
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok called Žilinka’s statements misleading, arguing that the police should not be publicly blamed and that the prosecutor should actively propose solutions instead of only criticizing results. “It is not possible to be a key part of law enforcement and at the same time criticize from the outside,” he said.
The Ministry of Justice condemned the press conference as politicizing anti-corruption work and argued that the data presented by Žilinka are incomplete and cannot justify categorical conclusions. The ministry stressed that Slovakia’s corruption sanctions align with EU rules and warned that public simplifications undermine trust in law enforcement.
The Police Force also rejected Žilinka’s claims as unprofessional and unfounded, stating that the GP has legal tools to act but his statements “weaken public trust in law enforcement authorities as a whole.”
Source: STVR
