Slovakia: the murder of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova at the heart of the legislative elections

Text by: RFI Follow

Just over two years after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, the Slovaks are voting for the legislative elections this Saturday. A murder at the heart of the concerns of voters, because the journalist was murdered by a mafia figure who had corrupted senior officials in the police, justice, and politics.

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The portraits of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova are everywhere in Bratislava and in several cities of the country. Their murder is at the heart of the countryside. The shock continues . " In the 1990s, journalists were beaten up, but no one was killed," said Jana Žitnianska, vice-president of Za Ludi, a centrist party created last September. It was something that was unimaginable. This murder was the spark. "

The opposition is visible and organizes rallies in support of the memory of the murdered journalist and his fiancée. The ruling party is very discreet. “ The opposition parties have the right to use the emotion linked to these murders to try to overthrow the government, recognizes Erik Kaliniak, candidate on the SMER lists. But concerning the trial, it has been said a lot that we were so corrupt that the culprits would never be found. Well, we found the murderer, we let our judges and the police work, and in my opinion, they did a great job. "

Erik Kaliniak does not speak of the demonstrations so that the investigation can take place, nor of the resignations of the chief of police, the Minister of the Interior and the Prime Minister. Candidate for the legislative elections, Robert Fico also had this sentence, confession or provocation: " If there had not been this murder, I would be before you today as Prime Minister with 30% support of the voters " .

The trial of the sponsor, the murderer and the intermediaries began last December. It will resume after the elections.

► Read also: Two years after the assassination of Jan Kuciak, Slovakia's thirst for integrity

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• Slovakia
• Freedom of press
• Human rights

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