Slovak police seek former defense minister over Ukraine aid
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A belt of 7.62mm ammunition is seen during a training exercise training at U.S. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Oct. 24, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Emily Farnsworth via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)
Slovak police attempted to detain a former defence minister and other former officials on Wednesday as part of investigations into how military aid was given to Ukraine, media outlets reported.
The police confirmed they were carrying out seizure operations in a prosecution initiated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), but gave no more details.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said on Facebook a team investigating ammunition donations to Ukraine under the former government, after Russia's invasion in 2022, was involved.
EPPO did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
News website Dennik N said police had sought to detain former defence minister Jaroslav Nad, who is out of the country on vacation, and another former ministry official. Nad has previously denied allegations of wrongdoing related to Ukraine aid.
Police had detained the former head of a state-owned defence firm, Dennik N said.
Slovakia's leftist-nationalist government under Prime Minister Robert Fico has taken sharp policy turns since taking power in 2023, including stopping military aid to Ukraine and seeking better ties with Russia, which supplies oil and gas to the country.
Last year, Fico's government accused the previous administration of treason and other offences for various donations to Ukraine. In November, an investigation into discrepancies into data on the donations was set up.
A report from the Supreme Audit Office last year had said errors related to budgetary rules were made in purchasing ammunition for Ukraine and it had handed findings to police.
Nad has denied allegations against him, and he said on Wednesday on social media that he was on vacation in Canada and due to return at the end of the month.
"Today's theatre honestly did not surprise or bother me," Nad said on Facebook. "I will keep repeating to myself how proud I am of how we helped Ukraine. I would do it again. And again."
Separately, the government has also called on police to investigate the previous government for donating MiG-29 fighter planes and an air defence system to Ukraine.
Fico has been vocally critical of European Union policy to Ukraine, saying weapons supplies prolong the war with Russia.
On Tuesday, he criticised plans of NATO, in which Slovakia is a member, to ramp up spending in the coming years and for the first time questioned Slovakia's place in the military alliance by saying neutrality would benefit the country.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Toby Chopra // REUTERS)
