Slovakia: controversial judicial reform approved
The parliament in Bratislava has passed a controversial judicial reform proposed by Prime Minister Robert Fico's government. Critics argue that the reform is an attempt by Fico's Smer party to have corruption cases from previous periods in government dismissed. For weeks, tens of thousands of Slovaks have been protesting against the reform. President Zuzana Čaputová intends to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court.
Hope dies last
Although Fico ultimately pushed through the reform without any problems, Denník N is not yet ready to give up:
“Fico and his coalition are promoting the new penal code in parliament today. But it still has to get past President Zuzana Čaputová and then the Constitutional Court. And the citizens who have got active in the meantime. The presidential election will be decisive. If the Democrats don't allow Peter Pellegrini, Fico's candidate, into the presidential palace, it could mark the beginning of a shift.”
Clean bill of health for corrupt politicians
Hospodářské noviny has little hope that much can be done to change the effects of the reform:
“The criminal law amendment will abolish the special public prosecutor's office, milden punishment for serious offences such as corruption and shorten the statute of limitations. The amendment is due to come into force on 15 March. Even if a protest were to be lodged with the Constitutional Court, which is the last guarantee of the rule of law after all the changes that the Robert Fico government is pushing through, the judges would not have enough time to evaluate the law by this date. ... And one day of validity is sufficient to reduce the sentences of offenders or to end criminal liability for property and economic offences that have already been committed.”