"Based on the results of the discovery of a number of failures of the former government, we, as the Ministry of Defense, are filing an application [to law enforcement agencies] on suspicion of committing sabotage, that is, treason, abuse of power and violation of duties to manage other people's property," ministry spokesman Igor Melicher told reporters.
After the inspection, the ministry did not find a document that would justify the legality of transferring fighter jets and air defense to Ukraine, the official added.
Earlier, Melicher stated that the transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2023 was illegal, and legal measures would be taken against former Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď. Melicher pointed out that Slovakia's constitution prohibits a caretaker government from making significant foreign policy decisions, such as transferring fighter jets to Ukraine worth over 500 million euros.
Slovak Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodský reported that the Slovak Ministry of Defense could not find any legal analysis confirming the legality of the MiG-29 transfer to Ukraine by Eduard Heger's government in 2023.
In December 2022, the Slovak parliament passed a vote of no confidence in Heger's government, but his cabinet continued to perform its duties with limited powers. In March 2023, Heger’s government decided to transfer 13 MiG-29 fighters and part of the Kub air defense system to Ukraine. The party of the current Prime Minister, Robert Fico, sought an investigation into the circumstances of this transfer, claiming that Heger's government lacked the authority to make such decisions. Former Defense Minister Naď, who was part of Heger's cabinet, argued that a legal analysis conducted before the decision confirmed the procedure's legality.
Slovakia provided Ukraine with military assistance worth 680 million euros. In April 2022, Slovakia transferred an S-300 air defense system to Ukraine. In April 2023, Slovakia completed the transfer of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. With the arrival of Fico's government in the fall of 2023, the delivery of military aid to Kiev from state resources was halted.
Fico claimed that the MiG-29 fighters were handed over to Ukraine in April 2023 with a blatant violation of Slovakia's constitutional norms. He also criticized the previous government for transferring a fully operational S-300 air defense system to Ukraine. The politician stated that it is entirely unclear how Slovakia will address its air defense needs in the coming years.