Bratislava, March 4 (CTK) – Slovak General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar indirectly criticised Police President Tibor Gaspar today over his way of informing the public about the case of the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, saying that Gaspar talked about unconfirmed clues.
“I am not one of the people who react to the slightest sign of our having information that may lead [the investigation] in a certain direction by telling it to the media. As a result of this, three versions [of a crime] are presented in two days,” Ciznar said in an interview with TA3 broadcaster.
If Kuciak died due to his work as an investigative journalist, the state has to show strength, he said.
“As this happened in our country, the time has come to prove…that the state is strong and can intervene in such cases,” Ciznar said.
An unknown perpetrator short Kuciak and his girlfriend, who were both 27-year-old, dead in their house in western Slovakia last week.
In his last, unfinished article, Kuciak wrote about the business and possible subsidy frauds on the part of Italian entrepreneurs in eastern Slovakia, who are linked to mafia and had previously ties with persons close to current PM Robert Fico.
Several aides of Fico resigned from their posts at the Government Office in recent days.
On Saturday, the police released seven Italians whom they previously detained within the Kuciak case investigation.
The General Prosecutor’s Office is considering establishing an international team of investigators that would include Italy at least, apart from Slovakia, Ciznar said.
From next Wednesday to Friday, the Kuciak case will be discussed by an eight-member delegation from the EP, who are to meet PM Robert Fico, some ministers and also journalists critical of Fico’s government during their stay in Slovakia, the German daily Welt am Sonntag wrote today, citing EU sources.
The Slovak police have asked the drivers who crossed the districts near Kuciak’s house on Wednesday, mainly between 17:00 and 22:00, to give camera recordings from their vehicles to them.
Until now, the police have said the crime was committed between Thursday, February 22 and Sunday, February 25.
It seems to have occurred earlier, judging by the police request addressed to drivers, Sme.sk server has written, citing the killed woman’s mother who said she had been unable to get in contact with her daughter from Wednesday, February 21.