Slovakia's National Criminal Agency (NAKA) have taken Italian businessman Antonino Vadala and six other people in for interrogation following the mafia-style assassination of journalist Jan Kuciak.

Vadala was named in a posthumous article by Kuciak into alleged mafia infiltration of the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico.  Kuciak (27), who was found dead alongside his fiancée on February 26, was working on the unfinished article until his death.

Police President Tibor Gaspar confirmed on March 1 that seven people were detained. Vadala’s brother Bruno and his cousin (Pietro C) were also detained. All seven names are apparently Italian, Dennik N wrote.

“Detentions are directly connected to the assassination of the journalist and his partner,” Gaspar confirmed. Police secured telephones, laptops and two, illegally held short firearms. Police are also co-operating with the FBI attaché for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Prime Minister Robert Fico faces a coalition crisis over the scandal after his junior partner Most-Hid called for the resignation of Minister of Interior Robert Kalinak, who is already under pressure over an alleged real estate tax fraud in Bratislava. With a new Minister of Interior, Most-Hid is hoping for a more trustworthy investigation of the murder. 

Kuciak together with colleagues had also published articles about the involvement of ruling Smer-SD politicians in the Basternak affair, which implicated Kalinak and former industry minister Jan Pociatek.

Bela Bugar, the head of Most-Hid, which holds three ministries in Fico’s government, said: “Kalinak should resign. If this is not going to happen, the party will deal with it. I don’t think we have to sacrifice also the government.”

According to Slovak news website Aktuality.sk, if Kalinak will not step down, Most-Hid Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska is ready to step down. Already Culture Minister Marek Madaric of Smer has resigned over the scandal. 

Two government officials who, according to Kuciak’s article, are connected to Italian mafia have stepped down to avoid damaging Fico. Viliam Jasan, secretary of the powerful Security Council, and Maria Troskova, a top adviser to Fico, deny any wrongdoing.