Gaulieder's Death Investigated as Manslaughter and Freedom Restriction

Gaulieder's Death Investigated as Manslaughter and Freedom Restriction

Nitra, March 27 (TASR) – The police are investigating the crime of manslaughter and the restriction of one’s personal freedom in relation to the death of former HZDS MP Frantisek Gaulieder, who was killed by a train near Trnovec nad Vahom (Nitra region) early on Saturday, Nitra regional police spokesperson Bozena Bruchterova said on Monday.

“We won’t provide any further information due to the ongoing investigation,” she said.
The police in the wee hours of Saturday at first found Gaulieder’s car, which contained his identification documents, parked between Trnovec nad Vahom and the district town of Sala (also Nitra region). Later on, at around 1:50 a.m., a train passing through the area struck and killed a man who was later identified as Gaulieder.

“I can confirm that a collision between a person and a cargo train indeed took place, with the 66-year old man suffering injuries that were incompatible life. The exact cause of death will be revealed by an autopsy,” said Bruchterova, adding that a breath test of the train driver came out negative for alcohol.

Elected on a joint slate of Vladimir Meciar’s HZDS and Slovakia’s Farmers Party (RSS) in 1994, Gaulieder eventually became a critic of Meciar’s reign in 1996 and decided to leave the party in order to continue in parliament as an Independent MP. Nevertheless, he was stripped of his mandate within a few weeks by the Meciar-dominated House in a move that was later described by the European Court of Human Rights as a violation of his rights. The state subsequently paid him €30,000 in compensation.