The national security adviser to Slovakia’s prime minister has stepped down after documents released by United States authorities revealed previously unknown communications between him and the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Saturday that he had accepted the resignation of Miroslav Lajčák, describing him as a highly experienced diplomat whose departure was driven by political considerations rather than any proven criminal conduct.
The resignation came one day after the US Department of Justice released millions of pages of files linked to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The documents include emails, text messages, and contact records involving a wide range of political, business, and public figures from different countries.
Among the materials are text message exchanges from October 2018 between Epstein and Lajčák, who was serving at the time as Slovakia’s foreign minister. In the messages, the two discussed women in a lighthearted and informal manner alongside references to an upcoming diplomatic meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The records also show Epstein making remarks about women and age, with Lajčák responding in a joking tone.
In a separate email dated November 2017, Lajčák asked Epstein to assist a female film producer in getting her film considered for that year’s Academy Awards shortlist. The documents do not indicate whether any such assistance was provided.
The released files do not allege or establish that Lajčák engaged in criminal activity. However, their publication triggered public criticism and political pressure in Slovakia, particularly because of Epstein’s criminal history and the nature of the remarks contained in the exchanges.
Slovak media reported that Lajčák initially denied discussing women with Epstein when the documents became public. He later said he chose to resign to prevent the controversy from causing political damage to the prime minister and the government.
Prime Minister Fico described the reaction to the disclosures as excessive and politically motivated, characterising it as an attack directed at his leadership rather than a measured response to the facts. He emphasised that Lajčák had served Slovakia in several senior roles, including as foreign minister in multiple governments and as a European Union special representative for the Western Balkans.
The Epstein-related document release has renewed scrutiny of many individuals who had contact with the financier before his arrest. Authorities have stressed that inclusion in the files does not imply wrongdoing, and that the records largely reflect untested allegations, correspondence, or third-party references.