Supreme Court Rejects Appeals of Two SNS Ex-ministers in Notice Board Tender Case
Bratislava, March 24 (TASR) – An appeals senate of the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the appeals of convicted former construction and regional development ministers Marian Janusek and Igor Stefanov, who represented the Slovak National Party (SNS) in Robert Fico’s first government (2006-10), regarding the notice board tender case.
Janusek is serving an 11-year prison sentence, while Stefanov was given nine years.
Janusek and Stefanov didn’t attend the appeals proceedings. They demanded the final judgement should be annulled and the case sent back to the Specialised Criminal Court (STS). The prosecution service requested that the appeals should be rejected.
The Supreme Court senate sentenced Janusek and Stefanov in the autumn of 2018. They were found guilty of crimes involving machinations in public procurement and public auctions, and abusing the powers of a public official.
The sentences are being served in a minimum security facility. In addition, the two were given fines of €30,000.
The case goes back to 2007, when the Construction Ministry announced a public tender on a notice board located in a closed hallway in the ministry building, hence preventing other potential bidders from participating. The only entrant and, therefore, tender winner was a consortium of firms called Avocat and Zamedia, both affiliated with then SNS leader Jan Slota, which thus made a profit of €3.5 million. According to the court, the damage caused to the state was quantified at €12.7 million.