Former Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) President Andriy Pavelko remains in custody in Slovakia after the Regional Court in Bratislava rejected his request for release on a €10,000 bail. The court cited a high risk that the former official would flee Slovak jurisdiction to avoid extradition proceedings to Ukraine.
To secure his release, Pavelko offered three guarantees: a written commitment to report to investigators, a personal guarantee from an unnamed individual, and €10,000 in cash bail from an undisclosed source.
The Bratislava Regional Court rejected the proposal, specifically citing the danger of the suspect absconding to neighboring EU nations. Judges noted that Pavelko could move to Germany or Austria—jurisdictions where local courts historically deny the vast majority of Ukrainian extradition requests—thereby disrupting the judicial process.
«There is a risk that he will leave the territory of the Slovak Republic and move to Germany, Austria, or another state, which could disrupt or significantly complicate the extradition proceedings.»
The court highlighted several inconsistencies regarding Pavelko’s actual residence in recent months. A lease agreement for a Bratislava apartment where Pavelko lives with his family was signed by a third party, with Pavelko’s name handwritten onto the form. Statements regarding his location since late 2025 vary wildly between Ukrainian media reports placing him in Vienna, his defense claiming medical treatment in Germany, and Slovak legal records indicating a temporary stay permit in Bratislava.
Pavelko’s legal team is led by JUDr. Adrián Kucek, a prominent Slovak attorney who previously represented high-profile figures in national corruption cases. Kucek has served on the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, the supreme body of Slovak judicial self-governance, since July 2024.
Despite Pavelko’s prominent role in European sports administration, major Western European news outlets have largely overlooked his detention, with international coverage primarily restricted to regional Eastern European media services.
The extradition case is entering a critical phase as the 40-day limit for preliminary detention nears its end. Pavelko’s legal team is preparing an appeal to the Supreme Court of Slovakia, though the final decision on his extradition to Ukraine ultimately rests with the Slovak Minister of Justice.