What if sending weapons to Ukraine was a crime? This is what Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is known to be close to Russia, insinuated by filing a complaint against his predecessor Eduard Heger last June over the transfer of MiG-29 fighter aircraft in 2023.
Five months later, the Bratislava prosecutor’s office stated on Monday that sending fighter planes to Kyiv did not constitute a criminal offense, within the meaning of the Slovak Criminal Code.
“There is no reason to continue this case”
In the spring of 2023, Eduard Heger and his then Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad donated Slovakia’s entire Soviet-era fleet as well as two air defense systems.
Both men were later tried for sabotage, abuse of power, and embezzlement of public funds by new Prime Minister Robert Fico. The current Minister of Defense, Robert Kalinak, even accused his predecessor of “national treason”.
“It has been reasonably established that the conduct was not a criminal offense and there is no reason to pursue this case,” a spokesperson for the prosecutor told Politico, explaining that the investigation had been terminated on October 30.
“Nor has it been proven that members of the government acted with the aim of obtaining an unlawful advantage for themselves or others, or used their authority in a manner contrary to the law or exceeded their authority,” he added.
Jaroslav Nad welcomed the decision, and emphasized that Eduard Heger and his government had acted “in the national interests of the Slovak Republic and in full compliance with applicable laws and the constitution.” The former Defense Minister demanded a public apology from Fico’s government, and threatened legal action.
