A Journalist Crisis in Slovakia

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Mini-Crisis Background
Journalism Scandal Overview
Crisis Outcomes
Overview of Actors’ Motives
Implications
Recent Developments
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Corruption is a global problem and is one of the fundamental reasons for multiple financial crises. While the countries in Europe have been relatively successful in the combat against corruption, it is still a relevant issue, particularly in the nations that only recently achieved independence. Slovakia is an excellent example of a country that has been rapidly developing in terms of living standards and international presence since the end of Communism. Nevertheless, corruption is still relevant in many forms, as demonstrated by the journalism mini-crisis and the murder of Ján Kuciak – a journalist who exposed corrupted politicians in Slovakia. Ultimately, the current summarizing report thoroughly investigates the journalism scandal in Slovakia and its implications for the country and the EU.

Mini-Crisis Background

Since achieving independence in 1993, Slovakia has been gradually improving its relationships with the European organizations, becoming a member of NATO and the EU in 2004. It allowed the country to establish more transparent financial communication and reduce corruption in the country; however, some of the fundamental problems remained (Hutt). In 2018, experts still recognized it as “one of the most corrupt countries in the EU” (Hutt par. 7). This data transparently shows the degree of the problem in the nation and explains why the journalism scandal is considered a national crisis. However, it implies that the examined crisis is a critical opportunity for Slovaks, who strive for democratic values and positive change in the country.

Journalism Scandal Overview

Namely, the scandal involved the murder of Ján Kuciak and his girlfriend, Martina Kušnírová, who were actively participating in investigative journalism against corruption in the country. On February 21, 2018, an unknown man shot Ján and Martina in their house in Velká Mača, not far from Bratislava (Holcová and Kubaniova). The news of the murder spread across the nation, resulting in a chain of investigations and the largest protests since 1989 (Holcová and Kubaniova). By 2018, the people in Slovakia had been struggling against corrupt politicians for nearly three decades, and the death of the young couple was the last drop. The nationwide protests led to productive outcomes, including the arrests and charges of the lead suspects (Diko and Madleňák). The occurred event was a tragic and unfortunate incident for most people, while the corrupted politicians perceived investigative journalism as a critical threat. Up to this day, people commemorate the death of the young couple, gathering near the memorial in Bratislava (e.g., see fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Commemoration Monument of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová in Bratislava from Hutt; “Slovakia Makes Slow Progress in Tackling Corruption”

Crisis Outcomes

Consequently, it is essential to discuss the exact outcomes of the mini-crisis and how authorities dealt with it. After a series of protests, it was evident that the citizens were displeased with the current government and the corruption issues. This movement resulted in additional investigation from local and national law enforcement institutions (Holcová and Kubaniova). Police found and detained the killer approximately seven months after the incident and gained crucial information about the politician who had ordered the murder (Holcová and Kubaniova). Marian Kočner – one of the most notorious businessmen in Slovakia – was recognized as the mastermind behind the plan. Many journalists have investigated Kočner’s wrongdoings, but it was Ján Kuciak and his colleague, Zuzana Petkova, who uncovered the illegal transactions and fraud of nearly 70 million euros (Diko and Madleňák). In 2017, Kuciak and Petkova revealed the corruption schemes, but they had no sufficient evidence against Kočner. Nevertheless, it was obvious that Kuciak’s investigative journalism of Kočner’s plans was the reason for the murder.

Since then, the Slovakian law enforcement organizations have made their best efforts to uncover more information about corruption in the country. Moreover, the death of Kuciak paved the way for two crucial organizations in investigative journalism – the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak (ICJK) (Diko and Madleňák). Both initiatives had great success in uncovering the illegal machinations of Slovakian business owners and politicians. As a result, Marian Kočner and his associate, Alena Zsuzsová, were arrested two years after the incident for tax evasion, fraud, organized crime, and murder (Diko and Madleňák). At present, they are facing up to two twenty-one years of jail time, which is a positive sign for Slovakia and their further integration into the European Union.

Overview of Actors’ Motives

The four primary actors in the current crisis include corrupt politicians, investigative journalists, regular citizens of Slovakia, and the whole of the EU. All four groups act as affecting and affected parties, demonstrating the complexity of the situation. At first, corrupted politicians and business owners were the primary cause of the tragedy, murdering Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová. The tragedy occurred because the young journalist was perceived as a critical threat to the traditional political system with an emphasis on corruption and power abuse. It clearly demonstrates the values of corrupt politicians who are prepared to commit murders and organized crime to preserve their power in the country and keep exploiting people.

On the other hand, the crisis caused a significant backlash from Slovaks and investigative journalists globally. The values and interests of these parties include the protection of democratic values, fundamental human rights, and the desire to protect the country from politicians who ruin it. In a sense, corrupt politicians became the affected party in the crisis aftermath as some of the most notorious criminals were arrested. Lastly, the crisis affected the whole of the EU by reminding the organization of relevant problems concerning corruption and organized crime among people with power.

Implications

The murder of Ján Kuciak in 2018 was a tragic event organized by corrupt politicians and business owners. Nevertheless, it presented hope for Slovakian future development as multiple protests initiated additional investigations into corruption, fraud, and crimes committed by the national elite. In other words, it was a critical opportunity for the people who valued democratic values and wanted to eliminate corruption in the country. While it is a complicated problem since politicians hold immense power, particularly in the countries with ongoing corruption, citizens united, forming commemoration fonds and forcing the legal institutions to investigate the situation (Holcová and Kubaniova). Ultimately, it is essential to remember the sacrifices of Ján Kuciak and many other affected journalists to maintain the fight against corruption in the country.

Another significant implication is the impact of the crisis on international investigative journalism. Ján Kuciak was a well-known journalist who participated in the Panama Papers project – a collaborative effort of journalists across the world to uncover corruption (Diko and Madleňák). Although this initiative formally ended five years ago, it still has had an extensive influence on investigative journalism, further expanded by the tragic death of Ján Kuciak (Fitzgibbon and Hudson). Corruption is a global problem, and investigative journalism is only one of the effective countermeasures to this issue. Ultimately, it is crucial to raise public awareness concerning the impact of corruption in the country to mitigate the problem.

Recent Developments

Despite the efforts of the anti-corruption coalition in the country and the sacrifices of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, the corruption is still prevalent in Slovakia. The remaining politicians in power utilize all their resources to suppress the people’s voices and recover the traditional political regime in the country (Hutt). Namely, the political party, slovenská sociálna demokracia or SMER, has been gaining more followers, despite the multiple accusations of organized crime (Hutt). The party’s leader, Robert Fico, was charged with power abuse and support of criminal organizations, while his interior minister, Robert Kaliňák, was arrested (Hutt). Despite the positive trends in this direction, Robert Fico has political immunity and has acquired a loyal base of supporters through intelligent PR strategies. It demonstrates that the tragic death of Kuciak was a substantial motivator at first. Nevertheless, people tend to forget the wrongdoings quickly, and the corrupted politicians use all their resources to erase the story of Ján Kuciak from the public image. It is a concerning sign for Slovakia, and the corruption rates might potentially return to pre-crisis values.

Conclusion

The journalism mini-crisis in Slovakia is a part of a global problem concerning corruption, fraud, and organized crime among politicians and relevant business owners. Ján Kuciak was a member of multiple organizations associated with investigative journalism, and his murder in 2018 was a transparent sign that his work was productive in exposing corruption in the country. As a result, Kuciak’s death led to multiple protests and significantly raised public awareness regarding the dangers of corruption and power abuse. However, it is essential to remember this crisis to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

Works Cited

Diko, Lucas, and Tomas Madleňák. “Long Years in Jail and Terabytes of Scandals: The Definite End of Kočner’s Era.”VSquare, 2021, Web.

Fitzgibbon, Will, and Michael Hudson. “Five Years Later, Panama Papers Still Having a Big Impact.”International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 2021, Web.

Holcová, Pavla, and Eva Kubaniova. “Four Years After Journalist’s Murder, Slovakia has Changed.”OCCRP, 2022, Web.

Hutt, David. “Slovakia Makes Slow Progress in Tackling Corruption.” EuroNews, 2022, Web.

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