Slovakia’s central bank chief convicted of bribery and fined $225,000
[May 29, 2025] BRATISLAVA,
Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s central bank chief, who is a member of the
European Central Bank committee that decides monetary policy for 20
countries, was convicted of bribery and fined 200,000 euros ($225,000)
on Thursday.
The verdict against central bank Gov. Peter Kažimír was issued by Judge
Milan Cisarik at the country’s Special Criminal Court in Pezinok.
Kažimír's attorneys argued that he should have been acquitted because of
the recent changes in Slovakia's penal code, which reduced punishment
for corruption and that recently ended a number of corruption cases and
trials.
Kažimír wasn't present at the court. He said in a statement that he
would appeal. His six-year term in office expires on Sunday.
Kažimír was accused of paying a bribe of 48,000 euros ($54,000) at the
turn of the year in 2017-18 to the head of the country’s tax office in
connection with a tax audit of several private companies.
At the time, Kažimír was acquiring a luxury villa located in an upscale
neighborhood of Bratislava, the capital, from the owner of the
companies.
Kažimír, who pleaded not guilty, had previously said that he considered
the charges to be illegal and fabricated.
The case dates to when Kažimír served as finance minister in the leftist
government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico from 2012 to 2019. He
was a member of Fico’s Smer, or Direction, party before taking the
central bank job.
Smer lost the 2020 general election and was replaced by a coalition
government whose parties campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket.
Since that government took power, a number of people linked to Fico’s
party faced prosecution in corruption scandals.
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Slovakia's central bank (NBS) governor Peter Kazimir during a press
conference on "Rebuilding Europe after the COVID-19 pandemic" in
Bratislava, June 29, 2020. (Martin Baumann/TASR via AP, File)
 Kažimír was the first minister of
Fico’s government to stand trial.
Slovakia is one of 20 countries that use the euro currency, and
Kažimír is a member of the ECB’s governing council, its main
decision-making body.
A number of people linked to the prime minister’s party faced
prosecution in corruption scandals.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time in 2023 after his leftist
party Smer won the Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia
and anti-American platform.
In February 2024, lawmakers loyal to Fico’s new coalition government
approved changes to the penal code and eliminated the office of the
special prosecutor that deals with major crime and corruption.
The legislation faced sharp criticism at home and abroad while
thousands of Slovaks repeatedly took to the streets to protest.
The changes include a reduction in punishments for corruption and
some other crimes, including the possibility of suspended sentences,
and a significant shortening of the statute of limitations.
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