Slovak MP Sued by Police Officers Over Facebook Comments Skips Court Hearing

Michal Bartek, a member of parliament representing Hlas-SD, failed to appear at a court hearing in a defamation case brought against him by police officers connected to the so-called Čurilla investigation. The officers sued Bartek over statements he made in a Facebook video in November 2025, in which he claimed they had selected a specific judge to rule on their lawsuit against Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. The presiding judge remarked that the matter could have been resolved simply if Bartek had posted an apology on Facebook. Hlas-SD is a centre-left party and a member of Slovakia's ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico. The Čurilla case is a long-running corruption investigation involving allegations of ties between police officials, politicians, and financial interests. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between politicians and law enforcement figures in Slovakia, where the relationship between the government and police leadership has been a source of repeated controversy.