In the Heart of Europe: The Murder of the Slovak Journalist Ján Kuciak
In the Heart of Europe: The Murder of the Slovak Journalist Ján Kuciak

Summary/Abstract: The article describes the events following the murder of the Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová in February 2018. The text highlights the personality and work of a talented journalist and his last article about the Italian Mafia operating in Slovakia. Kuciak’s investigation identified links between people who worked with the Italian Mafia and employees of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic. After his murder, the biggest public protests since the ‘Velvet revolution’ (1989) followed. The political situation in Slovakia has changed since Kuciak’s murder; several officials resigned. Corruption in Slovakia proves itself to be deeply rooted. It will depend on the Slovak public and the pressure it can muster whether Slovakia will continue the work of Ján Kuciak and ‘Aktuality.sk’. At the end of the article, excerpts of Ján Kuciak’s last written story on Slovak corruption are documented.

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