In a case highlighting the fraught intersection of justice, political expression, and state authority in Slovakia, Zlatica Kušnírová—the mother of Martina Kušnírová, who was murdered alongside journalist Ján Kuciak in a 2018 assassination widely seen as a consequence of high-level corruption investigations—has accused the Slovak labour office of targeting her over her participation in anti-government protests. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the acquittal of businessman Marian Kočner, who stands accused of ordering the killings in retaliation for Kuciak’s reporting, Kušnírová reported being scrutinised by her employer, the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, where she works as a professional foster parent. The inquiry, allegedly prompted by an anonymous denunciation that included images from a protest, raised immediate concern among civil society actors over institutional overreach and the potential use of administrative mechanisms to pressure individuals linked to high-profile justice cases. Although the labour authority has since denied conducting any formal investigation or requiring prior notification for protest attendance, the incident has provoked public debate over the politicisation of social services under the current government, amid broader anxieties regarding the erosion of democratic norms in a post-trial environment still grappling with the legacy of the Kuciak murders.
In a recent decision concerning one of Slovakia’s most emblematic criminal cases, the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic overturned a prior acquittal issued by the Specialised Criminal Court in the trial of businessman Marian Kočner. Kočner had previously been cleared of charges relating to the 2018 assassination of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová. The Supreme Court’s ruling not only nullified the earlier verdict but also reassigned the case to a new judicial panel, ordering a full retrial.
The double murder, which shocked Slovak society and attracted significant international condemnation, has become a touchstone for the country’s struggle with corruption, rule of law, and media freedom. According to Slovak prosecutors, Marian Kočner allegedly orchestrated the killing of Ján Kuciak in retaliation for the journalist’s investigations into financial and political corruption. Alena Zsuzsová, who has been tried alongside Kočner, is accused of facilitating the contract killing.
Zlatica Kušnírová, the mother of Martina Kušnírová, stated in an interview with the Slovak news outlet Aktuality.sk that she and the family of Ján Kuciak welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, despite the emotional toll of returning to court and reliving events in a new trial. “We will do it because we must fight for our children,” she was quoted as saying.
Shortly after the court ruling, Kušnírová disclosed that she had become the target of what she described as state harassment. Employed as a professional foster parent—a specialised caregiving role within Slovakia’s child welfare system—she was reportedly subjected to scrutiny by the national labour authority following an anonymous report. The submission included a photograph of her attending an anti-government protest and allegedly triggered an official inquiry into her conduct.
According to Kušnírová, she was informed that any future participation in public demonstrations would need to be formally reported to the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, which serves as her employer. This stipulation, she stated, imposed significant constraints on her ability to exercise her right to freedom of expression.
Ida Želinská, a Slovak expert in social work, publicly criticised the response from labour authorities, calling it an “unbelievable violation of civil and human rights.” Želinská questioned the legitimacy of requiring protest attendance to be reported and warned of a broader trend in which the state increasingly intrudes into private lives to standardise opinions and personal values.
Public calls have emerged for Slovakia’s Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Erik Tomáš, who represents the centre-left Hlas (Voice) party, to respond decisively. Critics have labelled the Labour Office’s communication as vague and inadequate in addressing the seriousness of the situation. Historical cases in Slovakia have shown that social service mechanisms have previously been misused to target individuals based on political influence or under pressure from organised criminal networks.
In an update published by Slovak daily Denník N, the Central Office of Labour denied any institutional wrongdoing. It stated that Kušnírová was neither under formal investigation nor required to report her attendance at public protests. “The Central Office of Labour received no complaint against Ms. Kušnírová and is not examining any such case,” the statement read.
The controversy highlights concerns among observers about the potential misuse of administrative institutions in politically sensitive contexts. While the Central Office has now clarified its position, the situation has raised renewed attention to the intersection of state power, individual rights, and the enduring legacy of the Kuciak case.
Source: Kristína Braxatorová, Samuel Škultéty | Aktuality.sk
