Slovak PM's adviser resigns after name surfaces in Epstein documents

2026-02-01 - 09:35

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accepted the resignation of his national security adviser, Miroslav Lajcak, in the wake of the adviser's name appearing in recently released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The former foreign minister stepped down amid political pressure, though he maintains the move is not linked to any criminal conduct on his part. Resignation Following Document Release Prime Minister Fico announced the acceptance of Lajcak's resignation in a video statement posted on Facebook. Fico stated that Lajcak himself proposed ending their cooperation after media reports highlighted his name in the trove of documents made public by the U.S. Department of Justice. These files pertain to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and list numerous public figures globally. Lajcak's Defense and Reason for Stepping Down Initially, Lajcak denied any links when contacted by Slovak media, expressing confusion over how his name appeared. In later comments to the TASR news agency, he cited the passage of time and could not confirm the authenticity of any alleged communications, describing any potential exchange as informal and lacking substantive content. In his resignation statement, Lajcak clarified that he was not resigning due to unethical or illegal activity but to shield Prime Minister Fico and the government from unnecessary political fallout over an issue unrelated to official policy. Political Reaction and Context Calls for Lajcak's resignation had emerged from both opposition and coalition lawmakers in recent days, according to Slovak media reports. In his farewell remarks, Prime Minister Fico praised Lajcak as an experienced diplomat and lamented the loss of his foreign policy expertise. Fico also criticized media coverage of the incident, suggesting the significance of the resignation had been exaggerated. The episode underscores the wide-reaching political impact of the Epstein document release, affecting figures beyond U.S. borders.