Former chief of Czechoslovak constitutional court murdered

November 9, 2010

Slovak attorney Ernest Valko, 57, was killed yesterday in his house in near.

An unknown man shot Valko once in the heart from several meters away.

The police department dealing with organized crime started investigating the murder. It refused to speculate about any motive. According to today's statements, neither Valko, nor his colleagues had alerts about any possible attack.

Valko was a member of the  after the, serving as a deputy speaker of the lower house between 1990 and 1991. He made important contributions to key laws including the preamble of the.

In 1992, Valko led the Czechoslovak constitutional court since its establishment in April till the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of the year. Since 1993, Valko has worked as an attorney representing prominent figures as well as several state institutions.

Slovak politicians and attorneys spoke about shock from the news and offered their condolences to the Valko's family.