Police Officer Wins Transfer Case Against Interior Ministry

Bratislava, 14 May (TASR) - Police officer Juraj Svitok has won a court dispute with the Interior Ministry over his transfer from the Internal Affairs Inspectorate to the district police directorate in Banovce nad Bebravou (Trencin region), his lawyer Peter Kubina confirmed to TASR on Thursday. It was daily newspaper Sme that first reported the case. According to Kubina, the officer won the court dispute "completely, as in the case of Pavol Durka". He added that one more decision still needs to be cancelled in Svitok's case. "The final outcome is that he will return to the Internal Affairs Inspectorate," Kubina said, adding that the police officer remains in Banovce nad Bebravou for now. "The administrative court in Bratislava clearly confirmed that the subordinate to interior minister, Branislav Zurian, as the head of the inspection service, illegally transferred Svitok from Bratislava to the district police directorate in Banovce nad Bebravou, and that Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) upheld this illegal personnel order during the appeals process. Both decisions were therefore cancelled as unlawful. The unlawfulness of their actions lay in the fact that, under the law, prior consent from the Whistleblower Protection Office was required for this measure, and they did not even request it," Kubina posted on social media. mf