The main hearing in the Bobytkár case continues: The defendants will testify in court – Nový Čas

In Banská Bystrica, the main hearing in the corruption case known as the Dobytkár continues today at the workplace of the Specialized Criminal Court (ŠTS). The defendant, former executive director of the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA), Ľubomír Partika, who denies his guilt, completes his statement. He is reacting to the testimony of the main defendant, veterinarian Ľubomír Kropil, in connection with the tables that were seized during the search of his home. He pointed out that the amounts stated there do not match the indictment, and the number of projects is not in line with the number of acts in the indictment. During the June hearing, he partially admitted to committing crimes of indirect corruption, or bribery of the main accused veterinarian Ľubomír Kropil. He denied the criminal acts of accepting a bribe and legalizing income from criminal activity. The defendant Ľubomír Kropil defended himself by saying that through his company he helped prepare applications for the Agricultural Payments Agency (PPA). In his statement, Ľubomír Kropil also stated that he made his statements during the preliminary proceedings under duress in custody and in poor health. Martin Kvietik and Ľubomír Partika were also heard, and both denied the acts of which they are accused. At the hearing in May, the defendant, the former chief adviser of the regional office of the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA) in Zvolen, Viktor Miklas, pleaded guilty to all charges. The court accepted the statement of the defendant Viktor Miklas’s guilt and declared that the evidence will not be presented in his case and the court will discuss only the verdict on the punishment, while not ruling out the hearing of this defendant. Most of the other defendants denied guilt or refused to comment, while Ľubomír Kropil was not present. One of the defendant legal entities was exempted by the court for separate proceedings.