Court Rules Interior Minister Acted Unlawfully in Ďurko Case; Minister Drops Complaint

A Slovak court has ruled that Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok acted unlawfully in his handling of the case involving police official Ľubomír Ďurko, but the minister has since withdrawn a related complaint, saying further legal action would be economically and procedurally pointless. The ruling represents a judicial rebuke of Šutaj Eštok, who leads the Hlas-SD party, a center-left party that forms part of Prime Minister Robert Fico's ruling coalition. The minister had faced scrutiny over his decisions regarding Ďurko, a senior police figure whose case attracted significant public attention. After the court found the minister's conduct to be unlawful, Šutaj Eštok reversed course and withdrew his complaint rather than pursuing the matter further. The case adds to ongoing tensions surrounding the Interior Ministry and its oversight of law enforcement in Slovakia. Critics have argued that the current government has sought to exert undue influence over police structures since taking power in 2023. The court's finding of unlawful conduct by the minister is likely to fuel further opposition scrutiny of his management of the country's internal security apparatus.