BRATISLAVA – On Thursday, Slovakia’s top central banker, who participates in the European Central Bank’s monetary policy decisions for 20 nations, was found guilty of bribery and ordered to pay a fine of 200,000 euros ($225,000).
The verdict against central bank Gov. Peter Kažimír was issued by Judge Milan Cisarik at the country’s Special Criminal Court in Pezinok.
Lawyers for Kažimír contended that he deserved acquittal, citing recent amendments to Slovakia’s penal code. These changes have lessened penalties for corruption and have led to the dismissal of various corruption investigations and trials.
Kažimír wasn’t present at the court. He said in a statement that he would appeal. His six-year term in office expires on Sunday.
Kažimír faced allegations of offering a bribe of 48,000 euros ($54,000) around the turn of 2017-18 to the head of the national tax office, related to a tax audit concerning several private companies.
At the time, Kažimír was acquiring a luxury villa located in an upscale neighborhood of Bratislava, the capital, from the owner of the companies.
Kažimír, who pleaded not guilty, had previously said that he considered the charges to be illegal and fabricated.
The case dates to when Kažimír served as finance minister in the leftist government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico from 2012 to 2019. He was a member of Fico’s Smer, or Direction, party before taking the central bank job.
Smer lost the 2020 general election and was replaced by a coalition government whose parties campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket.
Since that government took power, a number of people linked to Fico’s party faced prosecution in corruption scandals.
Kažimír was the first minister of Fico’s government to stand trial.
Slovakia is one of 20 countries that use the euro currency, and Kažimír is a member of the ECB’s governing council, its main decision-making body.
A number of people linked to the prime minister’s party faced prosecution in corruption scandals.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time in 2023 after his leftist party Smer won the Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.
In February 2024, lawmakers loyal to Fico’s new coalition government approved changes to the penal code and eliminated the office of the special prosecutor that deals with major crime and corruption.
The legislation faced sharp criticism at home and abroad while thousands of Slovaks repeatedly took to the streets to protest.
The changes include a reduction in punishments for corruption and some other crimes, including the possibility of suspended sentences, and a significant shortening of the statute of limitations.
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