4 months ago
BRATISLAVA: Thousands of people on Wednesday evening again demonstrated outside the Parliament in Bratislava against a judicial reform planned by the Slovak government, reported German news agency (dpa).
The three-party coalition led by left-wing nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico wants to have the reform passed by its parliamentary majority on Thursday.
The demonstrators waved Slovakian flags, carried banners with slogans such as “Shame on the Fico Mafia Government!” and chanted “We don’t want Fico!”
The planned judicial reform provides for the courts to impose fewer prison sentences, particularly for cases of white-collar crime, and more alternative sentences, such as ankle bracelets.
While the government says it wants to use its criminal law reform to bring Slovakia’s prison sentences, some of which are extraordinarily high, into line with EU standards, the opposition parties describe the plans as a “pro-mafia package”, saying the real aim is to sweep corruption cases from previous periods of government by Fico’s Smer Party under the carpet.
One of the most controversial elements of the reform is the planned abolition of the special prosecutor’s office USP, which is responsible for organised crime and political crimes. The three-party cabinet led by Fico wants to dissolve the prosecution authority because it is too “politicised”.
The opposition warned of a threat to the rule of law and has accused the government of trying to cover up high-level corruption cases from previous Fico party governments up until 2020 when he was last in office.
The plan triggered critical comments from the European Commission and the European Parliament.–Bernama-dpa
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