EU Justice Commissioner Stresses on the Importance of Complying with European Union Laws
The European Commission has issued a warning to Slovakia, stating that it will face consequences if it proceeds with changes to its criminal laws that are deemed to be in violation of European Union laws. EU Justice Commissioner, Didier Reynders, emphasized the significance of adhering to the laws set by the European Union. This warning comes after the Slovak government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, fast-tracked proposals in parliament, including the elimination of a special prosecutor’s office for high-profile corruption cases.
Resistance Against the Proposed Amendments
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova warned of vetoing the legislation, and opposition parties have pledged to obstruct its passage in parliament. Protests against the proposed amendments have also taken place in Bratislava and other cities, with thousands of people expressing their opposition. Fico’s government aims to pass the legislation by Christmas, which would ultimately disband the special prosecutor’s office. Fico, who previously resigned as prime minister in 2018 due to mass protests against corruption following the murder of an investigative journalist, leads a coalition with a sufficient parliamentary majority to overturn a presidential veto. He has consistently claimed that the special prosecutor’s office has political motivations and has infringed upon human rights.
(Note: Some punctuation marks and spaces have been adjusted for conciseness and clarity.)