Institute for Public Affairs publish new book “Kidnapping. The Black Hole of Democracy”, written by a journalist Ľuba Lesná (slovak original: Únos. Čierna diera demokracie). The aim of the book is to familiarize the general public of Slovakia with the circumstances of the event, which significantly influenced the country’s internal political development in the mid-1990s and later – the kidnapping of son of Slovakia’s president Michal Kováč Junior. 

Book is written in the genre of the investigative journalist documentary, based on rich factography, describes the social atmosphere in Slovakia during the period of authoritarian power, the background of the confrontation between prime minister Vladimir Mečiar and president Michal Kováč, abuse of state power, including police and secret service, by the government. 

Publication is intended to contribute into increasing professional level of public debate about the case in the context of the recent parliament’s decision confirmed by the constitutional court to abolish amnesties to kidnappers and to restart the investigation.


The project was supported by Bratislava Self-Governing Region.  




The book is available at bookstores.