- Maria Troskova was dubbed the ‘sexy assistant’ after a surprise appointment
- Diplomats were furious when model with ‘questionable reputation’ met Angela Merkel
A glamorous “chief state advisor” to Robert Fico was closely linked to his downfall following a 2018 mafia scandal.
Fico, who returned to power last year, resigned as prime minister less than three weeks after a wave of public outrage over the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova.
The first journalist to be murdered for his work in Slovakia, Mr Kuciak, investigated organized crime links with the Fico government.
Maria Troskova, a 27-year-old former Miss World contestant who had also appeared in nude photo shoots, was appointed by Fico despite her lack of experience. She was subsequently dubbed the “sexy assistant” by Slovak tabloids, but the government refused to clarify why she was hired or the nature of her role.
But diplomats were outraged when the “not very successful model with a questionable reputation” was allowed to attend meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Maria Troskova, a glamorous ‘chief state advisor’ to Robert Fico, was closely linked to his downfall after a mafia scandal in 2018 (Photo: Ms Troskova and Mr Fico)
Mr Fico pictured with his wife Svetlana in March 2007. Mr Fico, who returned to power last year, resigned as prime minister less than three weeks after a wave of public outrage over the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiance Martina Kusnirova
Maria Troskova, a 27-year-old former Miss World contestant who had also appeared in nude photo shoots, was appointed by Fico despite her lack of experience (photo: Ms Troskova on the cover of a modeling magazine in 2009)
Mr Fico pictured at the EU Council building in Brussels in 2015
While investigating this apparently bizarre appointment, Mr Kuciak is said to have discovered that she was doing business with an expat member of Italy’s notorious ‘Ndrangheta mafia clan, which has links to transporting cocaine and stealing EU subsidies.
According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Kuciak was investigating whether Ms. Troskova could have been an intermediary for the mafia and the Slovak government when he was killed.
Ms Troskova stepped down from her role, saying she was “categorical”. [refuted] some connection to the twin murders, but was followed out the door days later by her former boss, Mr. Fico. Since her resignation, little appears to be known about Ms. Troskova. She could not be reached for comment.