BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — On Thursday, the presidential office of Slovakia announced that it has ceased pension payments to former President Andrej Kiska due to his conviction for tax fraud. In response, Kiska stated that he intends to contest this decision legally.

The decision to halt payments follows a ruling from an appeals court on October 31, which upheld a prior lower court judgment that found Kiska guilty of tax fraud, resulting in a one-year suspended sentence. This verdict is considered final; however, Kiska, who has maintained his innocence, plans to file an extraordinary challenge with the Supreme Court in an effort to vindicate himself.

In Slovakia, former presidents are entitled to an annual pension of approximately $50,000 after leaving office. Although Kiska mentioned that he does not require the funds, he views the challenge to the office’s decision as a critical matter of principle.

Kiska made headlines in 2014 when he succeeded in defeating the then-populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to assume the presidential role, which is largely ceremonial and lasts five years. His presidency was characterized by significant tensions with Fico, whose leftist political party encountered a series of corruption scandals.

During his term, Kiska was an advocate for significant public protests that ultimately resulted in the collapse of Fico’s coalition government in 2018. This political upheaval was sparked by the assassination of an investigative journalist probing into extensive allegations of government corruption.

Kiska, who was in favor of closer ties with the West, chose not to seek re-election for a second term in 2019. Meanwhile, Fico returned to position himself as prime minister for a third time in 2023.