Ehemaliger slowakischer Wirtschaftsminister und Ex-Vize Premierminister Pavol Rusko zu 19 Jahren Haft rechtskräftig verurteilt !

Erinnert man sich noch an die Falsch-Aussage unter Eid und den arroganten, geckenhaften Auftritt des korrupten slowakischen Bergbau-Boss Peter Kukelcik in den Pariser Arbitration-Hearings im September 2016, mit seiner meineidlichen Aussage, dass es keinerlei Korruption in der Slowakei gibt ?

Nun denn.

Jetzt hat es den tief-korrupten Pavol Rusko, der im Jahr 2005 persönlich die illegale Enteignung von EuroGas’ Talk-Bergrechten mit anschliessender korrupter Weitergabe an die österreichische Schmid Industrieholding veranlasst hatte, endlich auch erwischt!

Wer wird jetzt der Nächste sein ?

Kočner and Rusko

Supreme Court confirmed the verdict in the promissory notes case.

Marian Kočner and Pavol Rusko are definitively guilty of forging promissory notes, after the Supreme Court confirmed the verdict from last year.

The Supreme Court concluded the adjourned appellate session, which took place behind closed doors due to the worsening pandemic in Slovakia, after five hours on January 12. It confirmed the verdict delivered by the Specialised Criminal Court in February 2020.

Both Rusko and Kočner were sentenced to 19 years in prison for forging promissory notes, which Kočner used to obtain €69 million from the current owner of private broadcaster TV Markíza in 2016. Kočner was also ordered to pay a fine of €10,000.

The verdict was expected in December, but the court adjourned the session after Rusko did not arrive at court. He claimed to be in the hospital after allegedly being attacked with an unknown liquid while jogging.

The promissory notes case

In court Kočner started demanding the payment for promissory notes from the private broadcaster TV Markíza in 2016.

He claimed that its former director Rusko signed the promissory notes, but did not list them in the bookkeeping records. As Rusko did not have any money, he demanded the American company CME, then-owner of the broadcaster, to pay the sum.

TV Markíza sued Kočner and Rusko, suggesting fraud.

Appeal not possible

As Kočner and Rusko cannot appeal, their punishment starts already on Tuesday. However, there are several possibilities to reverse it.

The law allows them to submit a review to the Supreme Court. They can challenge the composition of the senate, claim that their right for defence was violated, or suggest an incorrect legal assessment of the deed or the evaluation of the evidence, the Sme daily reported.

Justice Minister Mária Kolíková (Za Ľudí) can submit a review too, stating the same reasons.

In such a case, the Supreme Court senate consisting of five judges would have to deal with the case again.

If the review was dismissed, Kočner and Rusko can submit a constitutional complaint to the Constitutional Court, if they think their fundamental rights or freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution were violated.

They could both be released from jail after they serve three quarters of their punishment, including time spent in custody. For example, Kočner could leave the prison no sooner than in 2032.

Good news for Slovakia

Justice decided, reacted PM Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) on his Facebook.

Prosecutor Ján Šanta said it is the largest economic case in the history of the Slovak judiciary and criminalistics, as the extent of the crime is almost €70 million.

“The 19-year sentence is unconditionally truly exemplary, legal and just,” he told journalists after the hearing. “We won not only the battle, but also one very serious war.”

The lawyer representing both Kočner and Rusko, Marek Para, said that they will submit a review.

“We do not agree with some conclusions, but we have to respect them,” he added.

Daniel Lipšic, the lawyer representing TV Markíza, wrote that justice won but it is only the beginning.

“Today is an important day,” he commented. “A few years ago, we probably could not imagine that people in the position of Marian Kočner and Pavol Rusko would be sentenced to 19 years, but today it has happened.”

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Juraj Šeliga (Za Ľudí) considers the verdict good news for Slovakia.

“An attempt at major fraud as well as the arrogance and haughtiness of Marian Kočner and Pavol Rusko, revealed by the investigation, showed two faces of Slovakia: a mafia that felt untouchable, and investigators and prosecutors who are not afraid and are doing their work honestly,” said Šeliga, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Investments Minister and chair of Za Ľudí Veronika Remišová said that decision shows how state bodies can work when they are not misused and corrupted by system of “our people.”

“Times when Marian Kočner could rely on his political protector and friends who could cover his back are gone,” she said, as quoted by TASR.