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a sworn testimony that he had Volzová followed and was preparing to kidnap and murder her, but he was unable to finish the deed because he was taken into custody for other killings. Černák also made an emotional apology at the court to Volzová for accepting the task. As of 2022 the court case is still ongoing.
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when he became the head of the
Foundation in 2015. The district eventually managed to stop the transaction and regain ownership of the house, although the Beacon of Hope ceased functioning in the meantime and the inhabitants had to leave the shelter. Rusko is accused of defrauding the district. On 23
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In response to the lawsuit, TV Markíza filled a counter-suit, alleging Kočner and Rusko conspired to defraud the company by forging and backdating the promissory note. The broadcaster argued that there was no mention of the promissory notes in the accounting of the company and Rusko himself had never
407:
and accepted the task to kidnap Volzová, force her to turn her equity in TV Markíza over to Rusko and then murder her. Rusko admitted to the meeting but claimed he went there only to find out if anybody had order his own killing and not to order a murder. The court case is still ongoing, Černák made
349:
Following his sacking, Rusko returned to the parliament. In response to the sacking, Rusko attempted to take his party out of the governing coalition, however a majority of ANO's MPs rebelled against his leadership and continued supporting the government. Rusko attributed the rebellion to bribery of
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The takeover of Markíza caused popular uproar, being perceived by the public as an attempt to silence the popular opposition-supporting broadcaster. Thousands of people attended spontaneous rallies protesting the takeover nearby TV Markíza's premises as well as in other cities around
Slovakia. The
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and his business partner Štefan Agh, supported by Volzová who had grown hostile to Rusko's conduct, took control of TV Markíza premises, claiming Kočner's company
Gamatex was entitled to take over the broadcaster due to an unpaid debt by Rusko. Markíza's own security personnel along with station's
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In 2005, he was hospitalized due to a leg injury, which was originally attributed to Rusko accidentally shooting himself in the leg during a hunting trip. In his 2019 book, Rusko eventually admitted he had deliberately caused the injury to avoid having to testify in a criminal case.
437:. From this marriage, Rusko has two children, daughter Lívia and son Pavol. In 2011, Rusko divorced his wife due to his new relationship with a modeling agent Henriett Heger. Rusko married Heger 2019, shortly before the start of his prison term. Heger applied for divorce in 2022.
420:. The Foundation ran a shelter for abused women and their children in a house that the district sold it for a symbolic amount. In spite of the provision that prevented the Foundation from selling the house, Rusko attempted to exchange it for another property with
350:
the individual MPs, releasing multiple secret recordings of them admitting receiving bribes in a private conversation with Rusko. The allegations of bribery of MPs nonetheless did not result in a collapse of the government, which stayed in power for another year.
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On 27 February 2020, the court sentenced Kočner and Rusko to 19 years in prison for falsifying the promissory notes and attempting to fraudulently extort millions from TV Markíza. The sentencing was confirmed by the appellate court on 12 January 2021.
381:, the broadcaster was responsible for paying the debt as Rusko had previously lost all his property. On the basis of this promisory note, Kočner demanded millions of euros of payments from TV Markíza. His claimed was initially backed by a local court.
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Mikuláš Černák, a former Mafia boss serving life sentence since 2007, accused Rusko of ordering a murder of TV Markíza's co-owner Silvia Volzová. Černák made the accusation in 2019, claiming that he met Rusko secretly in 1997 in
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In the mid 1990s, Rusko planned to start the first private television broadcaster in
Slovakia. The starting capital was provided by a Slovak entrepreneur living in Germany Silvia Volzová an American-owned media conglomerate .
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November 2023 Rusko was found guilty of defrauding the foundation but the judge did not sentence him to any additional punishment, deeming the 19 years jail term for forging promissory notes sufficient.
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over the debt back in 2000 was by issuing promissory notes in the total value of 70 million EUR. Rusko claimed that he issued the promissory notes as a private individual but since he was the CEO of
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234:, at the time Slovakia's most viewed private TV station, between 1996 and 2000. He currently serves a 19-year prison sentence for forging promissory notes in a conspiracy to defraud TV Markíza.
230:(born 20 August 1963) is retired Slovak politician, television magnate and convicted fraudster. He served as the Minister of Economy of Slovakia between 2003 and 2005 and Managing Director of
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Rusko remained the CEO of Markíza until 2000. Even though he was no longer the CEO, Rusko likely retained a degree of control over Markíza, which strongly supported his new political project
311:. The crisis ended when Kočner agreed to end his occupation of Markíza and settle the matter in court. The conflict between Kočner and Rusko lasted until 2000, when Markíza paid off Kočner.
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After leaving politics, Rusko maintained low profile and largely stayed out of the news. In 2018, he surprised the public by announcing that the actual way how he settled the dispute with
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previously mentioned their existence. Rusko denied the claim, insisting the promissory notes were genuine and TV Markíza accounting was lacking also other important documents.
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started broadcasting on 31 August 1996, quickly gaining massive viewership. From the beginning, Markíza was critical of the government of
Slovakia's autocratic prime minister
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employees attempted to resist the hostile takeover but were powerless against described by Rusko's Deputy Pavlík as "the most ruthless thugs in the underworld".
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rallies were supported by many popular artists as well as opposition politicians, including future prime ministers
875:"Kauza prípravy vraždy Volzovej by mala pokračovať v septembri, obžalobe čelia Černák či Rusko - Spravy.Pozri.sk"
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Rusko explaining his version of the promissory notes scandals using small balls at a press conference in 2018
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945:"Pavla Ruska uznal súd za vinného z podvodu v Majáku nádeje. Trest mu nezvýšili, stačí 19 rokov za zmenky"
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Rusko married his collage sweetheart Viera in 1991. The wedding was attended by the future prime minister
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The Beacon of Hope was a common project between the
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in 2002, on the top of the ANO party election list, which received 8% in the
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552:"Z medového chlapca skrachovaná Kočnerova slina. Kto je Pavol Rusko"
919:"Pavla Ruska čaká ďalší súdny proces, súvisí s kauzou Maják nádeje"
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630:"HNonline.sk - Ako sa začali demonštrácie na podporu Markízy?"
804:"Markíza pre zmenky za 70 miliónov žaluje Kočnera a aj Ruska"
901:"Staré Mesto zachránilo Maják nádeje pred Ruskom s Kočnerom"
830:"Kočner vyhral súd o 8-miliónovú zmenku s Ruskom a Markízou"
857:"Pavol Rusko ide do väzby, súd má obavu, že by mohol ujsť"
520:"Court sentences Kočner and Rusko to 19 years in prison"
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Members of the
National Council (Slovakia) 2002-2006
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Slovak politician and television magnate (born 1963)
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971:"Rusková: Muž minul na ANO milióny"
855:Tódová, Monika (16 December 2020).
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628:Novotný, Pavel (3 November 2019).
355:2006 Slovak parliamentary election
340:2002 Slovak parliamentary election
256:Czechoslovak Socialist Youth Union
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778:"Pavol Rusko odstúpil z čela ANO"
604:"Markíza stormed for second time"
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95:(acting, August 24 - October 4)
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1330:Politicians convicted of fraud
784:(in Slovak). 27 September 2007
766:(in Slovak). 20 November 2005.
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1014:(in Slovak). 3 September 2022
951:(in Slovak). 23 November 2023
398:Plot to murder Silvia Volzová
1310:People from Liptovský Hrádok
714:(in Slovak). 1 November 2005
418:Bratislava Old Town district
252:Slovak public TV broadcaster
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316:Alliance of the New Citizen
144:Alliance of the New Citizen
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83:Succeeded by
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1300:1963 births
1249:Zsolt Simon
1244:Pavol Rusko
1229:Martin Pado
1209:Ivan Mikloš
1199:Juraj Liška
1143:Pavol Rusko
1133:Ivan Mikloš
1044:6 September
1018:6 September
981:6 September
977:(in Slovak)
975:svet.sme.sk
955:23 November
929:6 September
925:(in Slovak)
885:6 September
881:(in Slovak)
840:6 September
814:6 September
788:6 September
764:hnonline.sk
744:6 September
740:(in Slovak)
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712:hnonline.sk
692:6 September
688:(in Slovak)
666:6 September
662:(in Slovak)
640:6 September
636:(in Slovak)
634:hnonline.sk
613:6 September
587:2 September
562:6 September
558:(in Slovak)
309:Robert Fico
228:Pavol Rusko
93:Ivan Mikloš
65:Preceded by
23:Pavol Rusko
1294:Categories
1259:Ivan Šimko
660:www.sme.sk
462:References
451:Leaders.sk
379:TV Markíza
285:TV Markíza
278:as its CEO
276:TV Markíza
260:TV Markíza
238:Early life
232:TV Markíza
115:1963-08-20
1157:Ministers
1118:Pál Csáky
1089:2002–2006
808:Pravda.sk
782:Pravda.sk
530:17 August
55:In office
1087:Slovakia
1038:Nový Čas
1012:Nový Čas
879:Pozri.sk
861:Denník N
501:Archived
214:Children
133:Slovakia
47:Slovakia
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307:and
203:div.
176:div.
109:Born
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