BRATISLAVA, December 9, (WEBNOVINY) — According to Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS), the institution of Prosecutor General does not form a pillar of Slovakia’s constitutionality, as it is based on Stalinist legal system. She admits that her government started with implementing the aim of restoring people’s trust in the rule of law, legality, and a functioning justice system from the wrong end – by replacing the prosecutor general.
The Prime Minister attended the ongoing session of parliament and answered a question of the MP Lubomir Petrak (opposition SMER-SD), who said he considers changing the form of election of prosecutor general from secret to a public one as rape of democracy. Radicova then asked Petrak, whether he considers the incumbent office of Prosecutor General, which has not brought to a close a number of sensitive cases to be apolitical and fulfilling its mission. “We have unresolved scandals and political problems going on for years: the bulletin-board tender, emissions (AAU) sale, social enterprises, financing of political parties. Why was criminal prosecution stopped? Because the office of the Prosecutor General is apolitical? Because it fulfills its tasks?” Radicova asked.
She is convinced that it is important not only to discuss the issue of the Prosecutor General election, but also on the best way how to materially provide the execution of the constitutional mission of the office of Prosecutor General. “We need some distance so that experts can think about how to continue,” says Radicova, adding that she will do as much as she can for that.
Parties in the ruling coalition agreed on changing the secret vote on the Prosecutor General to a public one, after they unsuccessfully attempted to elect a nominee of the coalition on the third time. The relevant laws should be elaborated in mid-January. The opposition, including Petrak, considers this to be a threat to democracy and politicization of the office of public prosecution.
SITA