Jozef Brhel senior has been sentenced to four years of probation and a record fine of 1.5 million euros for his role in overpriced IT tenders in Slovakia's financial administration from 2013 to 2018.
Jozef Brhel senior has been found guilty in the Mýtnik case, revolving around inflated tenders for IT systems in Slovakia's financial administration between 2013 and 2018. The Specialized Criminal Court rendered the decision, also convicting former state secretary at the Ministry of Finance Radko Kuruc. As part of the ruling, Brhel received a four-year probation sentence, alongside a historic financial penalty of 1.5 million euros—the largest ever imposed in Slovakia for such offenses.
Moreover, Jozef Brhel's son, also named Jozef, was handed a similar sentence, receiving four years of probation and a fine of 1.2 million euros. Alongside them, Kuruc was sentenced to three years probation and a fine of 60,000 euros for his role in accepting bribes. This former official is currently the director of the Slovak Guarantee and Development Bank, a position that has raised further questions about transparency and accountability in public service following his conviction.
The legal proceedings spanned a period of three years and involved serious accusations including breach of duty in managing foreign property, manipulations in public procurement, and criminal activities related to bribery. The ruling signals a stronger stance against corruption in Slovakia's public sector, potentially affecting future governance and legislative reforms aimed at enhancing integrity within public administration.
