I am innocent, the act did not happen, I did not commit anything. This was stated on Friday in his final speech at the Specialized Criminal Court (ŠTS), the workplace of Banská Bystrica, the accused director of the Slovak Information Service (SIS) Vladimír Pčolinský. The court asked for liberation from the indictment and in the last word and justice after four years of iniquity. The process in the corruption case of Vladimír Pčolinský is over, the single judge should declare a judgment on June 16.
Vladimír Pčolinský faces an indictment for the crimes of receiving bribe and abuse of public authority, as well as the offense of threat to confidential and reserved facts.
According to the indictment, in 2020 he was to receive a bribe from the entrepreneur and bankruptcy lawyer Zoroslav Kollár, who wanted to ensure that the SIS stopped interested in him. The former head of the Criminal Office of the Financial Administration, Ľudovít Makó, gave Kollár EUR 40,000 for SIS management. He was supposed to hand over the money to former deputy SIS Boris Beň, of which half, 20,000 euros, allegedly received the defendant Vladimír Pčolinský.
“From the beginning I said, I did not expect what witnesses would say. In my statements I am consistent and transparent, throughout the criminal proceedings,” The defendant stated in the final speech.
“I have not approved any demand for dampening the intelligence around Kollár. On the contrary, I personally ordered the news elaboration of Kollár, I have intensified his tracking and monitoring other people around his surroundings. It seems extremely meaningless to call Kollár ‘follower’ after meeting about the alleged bribe. I would not receive first aid from him and there is no bribe. Personally, I provided the cooperation of the National Criminal Agency, which led to his detention during the Víchrica police action, ”stressed Vladimír Pčolinský.
According to the defendant witness, the penitent Beňa, the court did not provide the court with an unquestionable and bulletproof testimony. The days and dates do not sit on when the bribe was to be handed over. Kollár was supposed to give it at a time when he was demonstrably abroad. Vladimír Pčolinský also argued that According to the indictment, he got it before it was ever handed over to Beňa.
Vladimír Pčolinský claims that witnesses on which the indictment is built, they are deceiving and contradictory in the testimonies. They changed them to get out of custody and get benefits.
Prosecutor Peter Kysel, in case of guilty recognition, proposes for Vladimir Pčolinski imprisonment in the middle of the punishment rate of the offense of abuse of a public official’s powers, which is about six to seven years, a fine of 50,000 euros and a prohibition of the activities of public office..
The process began in January and on several hearing days, when witnesses were held and the documents were read from classified annexes to the court file, acted without the presence of the public. Vladimír Pčolinský has already announced in advance that he would appeal in the case of the convicting judgment.
“The cubes are thrown, the taking of evidence was made. The situation is quite clear, there are 15 other witnesses against one repentant, all documentary evidence. I think that if justice should be made, the court should free me on June 16 from the indictment. If it turned out differently, I will fight further in the Court of Appeal, ”concluded Vladimír Pčolinský.
