A forthcoming lawsuit targets former Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy over the decision to transfer MiG fighter jets to Ukraine. The announcement came from Robert Kalinyak, the Deputy Prime Minister and head of Slovakia’s Defense Ministry. The report is attributed to RIA News.
Kalinyak contends that Nagy faces accusations of treason, arguing that his actions weakened Slovakia’s armed forces and were unconstitutional. He asserts that the country had no funds to replace the planes and insufficient air defense capacity, leaving Slovakia exposed.
The transfer of the MiG-29 aircraft to Kyiv was completed in Bratislava in April of 2023, a move that has sparked ongoing debate within Slovakia about its legality and strategic implications.
On June 11, Slovakia’s Foreign Minister within the Defense Ministry, Igor Meliher, stated that the transfer of MiG-29 warplanes to Ukraine in 2023 had been declared illegal. The same day, Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky noted that the Slovak Defense Ministry could not independently verify the legality of supplying the MiG-29 jets to Ukraine.
Earlier this year, a former Slovak Prime Minister issued cautions to Ukraine regarding potential actions against Russia, underscoring the broader regional debate over the use of Slovak military equipment in the conflict.
News. Additional background and official statements from Slovak government representatives have continued to illuminate the complexities of the transfer, the legal analyses involved, and the broader geopolitical considerations at play. The evolving assessments reflect the ongoing tension between alliance commitments, national security concerns, and the practical realities of maintaining air defense capabilities. In this context, lawmakers and watchdogs have pressed for greater transparency regarding decision-making processes and the legal basis for the transfer, as well as for clear explanations of how Slovakia plans to safeguard its own armed forces while contributing to international efforts.