ESET Foundation Board of Directors, on the recommendation of the Ethics Committee has decided that Prof. Ing. Marián Brestič, CSc. and Prof. Ing. Miroslava Kačániová, PhD. will be removed from the list of the finalists of the ESET Science Award. The Ethics Committee was created by the ESET Foundation based on the issues raised by the media and consisted of representatives of various domestic and foreign scientific institutions, including specialists in scientific ethics and integrity.

ESET Science Award finalists represent scientific personalities who are outstanding not only in terms of scientific performance, but also in matters of scientific ethics and integrity.

We consider this decision important not only in the context of the ESET Science Award, but above all to highlight the importance of ethics and integrity to scientists and scientific institutions themselves.

The Ethics Committee identified serious violations of scientific ethics in the works of Prof. Ing. Marián Brestič, CSc.  and Prof. Ing. Miroslava Kačániová, PhD. The Board of Directors of the ESET Foundation therefore decided that Prof. Ing. Marián Brestič, CSc. and Prof. Ing. Miroslava Kačániová, PhD., will not be listed among the finalists of the ESET Science Award.

The findings of the Ethics Committee will be reflected by the ESET Foundation in the evaluation and nomination process for the ESET Science Award in order to better identify unfair practices.

Members of the Ethics Committee:  RNDr. Imrich Barák, DrSc., prof. RNDr. Peter Fedor, Dr.Sc., prof. Ing. Miroslav Fikar, DrSc., RNDr. Soňa Ftáčniková, CSc., prof. RNDr. Karol Marhold, DrSc., RNDr. Jan Martinec, CSc.

Members of the Board of Directors of the ESET Foundation: Ing. Miroslav Trnka, Ing. Richard Marko, Ing. Palo Luka, doc. JUDr. MUDr. Peter Kováč, PhD.et PhD., Prof. RNDr. Eva Zažímalová, CSc., dr. h. c., Prof. RNDr. Pavol Šajgalík, DrSc.