Slovakia’s central financial institution chief, who can also be a member of the European Central Bank (ECB) committee that decides financial coverage for 20 nations, was convicted of bribery and fined 200,000 euros ($225,000) on Thursday.
The verdict towards central financial institution governor Peter Kazimir was issued by Judge Milan Cisarik on the nation’s Special Criminal Court in Pezinok.
Kazimir’s attorneys argued that he ought to have been acquitted due to the latest adjustments in Slovakia’s penal code, which diminished punishment for corruption and that not too long ago ended a lot of corruption circumstances and trials.
Kazimir wasn’t current on the courtroom. He stated in a press release that he would enchantment. His six-year time period in workplace expires on Sunday.
He was accused of paying a bribe of 48,000 euros ($54,000) on the flip of the 12 months in 2017-18 to the pinnacle of the nation’s tax workplace in reference to a tax audit of a number of personal corporations.
At the time, Kazimir was buying a luxurious villa situated in an upscale neighborhood of Bratislava, the capital, from the proprietor of the businesses.
Kazimir, who pleaded not responsible, had beforehand stated that he thought of the costs to be unlawful and fabricated.
The case dates to when Kazimir served as finance minister within the leftist authorities of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico from 2012 to 2019. He was a member of Fico’s Smer, or Direction, social gathering earlier than taking the central financial institution job.
Smer misplaced the 2020 basic election and was changed by a coalition authorities whose events campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket.
Since the federal government took energy, a number of individuals linked to Fico’s social gathering confronted prosecution in corruption scandals.
Kazimir was the primary minister of Fico’s authorities to face trial.
Slovakia is one in every of 20 nations that use the euro foreign money and Kazimir is a member of the ECB’s governing council, its important decision-making physique.
Several individuals linked to the prime minister’s social gathering confronted prosecution in corruption scandals.
Fico returned to energy for the fourth time in 2023 after his leftist social gathering Smer gained the Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.
In February 2024, lawmakers loyal to Fico’s new coalition authorities authorised adjustments to the penal code and eradicated the workplace of the particular prosecutor that offers with main crime and corruption.
The laws confronted sharp criticism at house and overseas whereas hundreds of Slovaks repeatedly took to the streets to protest.
The adjustments embrace lowering punishments for corruption and different crimes, together with the potential of suspended sentences and a big shortening of the statute of limitations.
Source: www.dailysabah.com