Slovakia - July 2023

President Zuzana Čaputová revoked the mandate of Interior minister Ivan Šimko, following disagreements with police force heads. Earlier in the month, Šimko had criticized the police in a string of social media posts, noting “obvious failings” in their investigation of the murder of a woman by her stalker on 29 June, after failing to act on several criminal complaints of harassment filed by the victim before her death. One controversial post published by Šimko on social media, stating “the hands of people with pistols and handcuffs must not be untied," came under fire for implying that Šimko is in favour of political control over law enforcement. Police Chief Štefan Havran, National Crime Agency (NAKA) head Ľubomír Daňko, and several high-ranking police officers subsequently threatened to resign. Šimko had separately clashed with police heads when he resisted the appointment of Pavol Ďurka, who is currently facing criminal charges, to a management position in the police inspectorate.

Sources: SME (1), SME (2), SME (3), Intellinews, Euractiv, The Slovak Spectator