Former Police Chief Gašpar Testifies He Never Handed Control of Police to Controversial Businessman

Tibor Gašpar, a senior Slovak politician and former national police chief, took the stand in a major criminal trial, testifying that he never transferred control of the police force to Norbert Bödör or any other outside figure. Gašpar, who now serves as a member of the National Council, Slovakia's parliament, and is a senior figure in the ruling Smer-SD party, denied allegations that he had effectively subordinated the police to Bödör, a businessman with longstanding ties to Slovakia's security and political establishment. The testimony sparked a direct clash with another witness in the case, Ján Slobodník, whose earlier statements prosecutors and other parties say contradict Gašpar's account. A figure referred to in court as Para argued that the proceedings had exposed Slobodník as having lied under oath, while Slobodník maintained his version of events. The dispute highlights the competing narratives at the heart of a case that touches on alleged political interference in Slovak law enforcement. The case is part of a broader judicial reckoning in Slovakia over the alleged corruption and politicization of state institutions during the years when Smer-SD dominated government. Gašpar served as police president from 2012 to 2019, a period under intense scrutiny following the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, which triggered mass protests and brought renewed attention to ties between politics, business, and the police. The outcome of this trial carries significant implications for accountability within Slovak security institutions.