NSS: Judge Pamela Zaleska Found Partially Guilty in Disciplinary Proceedings

Bratislava, 18 December (TASR) – The Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) on Thursday found Specialised Criminal Court judge Pamela Zaleska partially guilty in disciplinary motions concerning delays in proceedings in several cases and imposed a penalty cutting her functional salary by 20 percent for four months. Zaleska was found guilty under a disciplinary motion filed by Judicial Council chair Marcela Kosova. Of some counts in the disciplinary motion filed by Specialised Criminal Court chair Michal Truban, the judge was acquitted, while in others she was found guilty. The decision is final. "I respect the decision, but I am satisfied that the disciplinary panel of the Supreme Administrative Court fully accepted our factual and legal arguments, so I consider this a success," said Kosova's authorised representative Adrian Kucek. Zaleska's legal counsel Matus Harkabus also said he respects the NSS decision. "Our argument was based on the fact that the client essentially admitted shortcomings in the three unwritten decisions (...). Personally, I of course respect the decision, but I am not very satisfied that she was also found guilty on the count brought by the chair of the Judicial Council, where we held a different view," Harkabus told reporters. Zaleska was accused of delays in proceedings in several cases. Disciplinary motions against the judge were filed by Judicial Council chair Kosova and Specialised Criminal Court chair Truban. The accused judge denied guilt on all counts. Truban proposed that Zaleska be found guilty on all points of his disciplinary motion and be punished by transfer to a lower court and a 50 percent pay cut for three months. Kosova likewise proposed finding the judge guilty and cutting her functional salary by 20 percent for three months. mf