The controversial entrepreneur, for legal reasons identified only as Marián K., who is currently in custody for economic criminality, was charged with ordering the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak, in which his fiancée Martina Kušnírová was also killed. Special Prosecutor's Office informed about this at Thursday's press conference, adding that Kuciak's murder was allegedly ordered by the indicted businessman because of Kuciak's journalistic work. According to the prosecutors, enormous efforts have been made to investigate this murder. The file has 38 volumes and more than 15,000 pages.
President Andrej Kiska, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini as well as Interior Minister Denisa Saková expressed their satisfaction with the results delivered by the police and prosecutor's office in the case of journalist's murder. President Andrej Kiska stated in his reaction to the news that he praises the work of the police and investigators, yet regrets that actions against Marián K. started only after the young couple were murdered. Kiska noted that the entrepreneur had been offensive and threatened journalists before. Interior minister Denisa Saková also praised the work of the police and the prosecutor's office, adding that all the opinions that this case would never be investigated, or even be swept under the carpet, were shown to be wrong.
The fact that the controversial entrepreneur was charged with ordering the murder of Ján Kuciak does not come as a surprise to news website aktuality.sk editor-in-chief Peter Bárdy, the head of the editorial room where Kuciak worked. Since the day Kuciak was killed, Bárdy has considered Marián K. as one of the prime suspects with a motive to have the journalist murdered.
"On the other hand, nothing is definite. There will still be an investigation and the prosecution and courts will need to put in a lot of work, with the courts to decide at the end of the day whether or not Marián K. is guilty and to be punished or not. I my view, he is guilty and I'm convinced that if not by himself, then in cahoots with someone else he might have been the architect of what culminated in the murder of Kuciak. If this is so, then he should receive the sternest punishment possible," stated Bárdy, adding that he trusts the investigation team.
The 'For a Decent Slovakia' initiative, who organised mass gatherings in the Slovak towns in reaction to the journalist murder, also welcomes this progress in the investigation. According to the initiative, it was also the work of investigative journalists and the pressure of civil society on town squares that helped contribute towards the progress.
