Slovakia’s Prosecutor-General Maroš Žilinka has ordered the reopening of criminal proceedings into the 2023 donation of MiG-29 fighter jets and KUB air defense systems to Ukraine, reversing earlier decisions by investigators and lower prosecutors who had closed the case.
The reversal comes after the Prosecutor-General personally reviewed the case files and determined that previous decisions to drop the investigation were issued prematurely. The inquiry centers on the actions of the outgoing, caretaker government led by former Prime Minister Eduard Heger, which decided in 2023 to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets and portions of a KUB missile system to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Prosecutor-General Žilinka Overrules Lower Prosecutors and Shifts Venue to Trenčín
The investigation into the military transfers had previously ground to a halt. In October 2025, a police investigator dropped the criminal proceedings, finding no evidence of damage to the state or abuse of public authority by government members. Later, in January 2026, a prosecutor at the Bratislava Krajská prokuratúra rejected a complaint from the Ministry of Defense—then under Robert Kaliňák—challenging that closure.
General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka examined those decisions alongside the handling by the General Prosecutor’s office’s specialized crime units and concluded that investigators failed to establish a complete factual record. The inquiry did not examine the case in the depth necessary to evaluate the legal definitions of the suspected offenses — specifically the crimes of breaching duties in the administration of foreign property and abuse of public office.
Rather than sending the file back to the authorities who originally handled it, Žilinka reassigned oversight of the case, removing it from the Bratislava regional office and the serious crime department at the General Prosecutor’s office.
In light of the above, I have determined that the duties of the prosecutor in this criminal matter will henceforth be exercised by the Regional Prosecutor in Trenčín, whom I have instructed to ensure the renewal of criminal proceedings in the case and the execution of preliminary proceedings in accordance with the letter of the law.
Political Fallout and Former Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď Respond to the Reopened Inquiry
The decision marks a sharp pivot from September, when the General Prosecutor’s office defended the legality of dropping the case and declared the matter closed. That earlier closure drew fierce criticism from Robert Fico, who accused prosecutors of partisan behavior and alleged that Bratislava regional chief prosecutor Rastislav Remeta was trying to position himself as a candidate for the next prosecutor-general.
Former Defense Minister and Democrats party leader Jaroslav Naď maintained that his administration acted lawfully and in accordance with international law when it dispatched the military hardware, pointing to obligations under the United Nations Charter to assist attacked nations. Following the announcement, Naď stated that he maintains that no crime took place.
Jaroslav Naď stated, However, I do not anticipate any surprising conclusions, because it is clear that no crime occurred.
While the new directive does not imply criminal guilt or formally accuse specific individuals, it ensures that the legality of the caretaker government’s 2023 security decisions will face renewed scrutiny under a new prosecutorial team in Trenčín.