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Slovak Prime Minister Fico: Controversial judicial reform
Photo: Petr David Josek / AP
The Slovakian parliament has passed a controversial judicial reform with the votes of the three-party coalition of left-wing nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The opposition boycotted the vote. The opposition parties had been organizing mass demonstrations against the reform since December.
The reform provides for more fines and alternative punishments such as ankle bracelets instead of prison for white-collar crime. While the government parties asserted that they wanted to bring Slovakia's extraordinarily high prison sentences into line with EU standards, the opposition parties described the plans as a "pro-mafia package": the actual goal was to suppress corruption cases from previous periods in government of the Fico party Smer to sweep the carpet. The EU Commission and the EU Parliament also expressed criticism.
Abolition of a special prosecutor's office
One of the most controversial aspects of the reform is the abolition of a special prosecutor's office responsible for organized crime and political crimes because it was "politically abused." An anti-Fico coalition, which won the elections against the long-term head of government in 2020, had used controversial changes in the law to place the prosecution under the authority of the ex-politician Daniel Lipšic, who came from its ranks.
The Fico party Smer then complained that the special public prosecutor's office was being used to fight political opponents. Observers saw parallels to the judicial policy of the former PiS government in Poland, which was also accused of misusing an anti-corruption authority.
After his election victory in autumn 2023, Fico not only announced the removal of the controversial Lipšic, but also the abolition of the entire special prosecutor's office that had existed since 2004. This was irreparably “politicized” by Lipšic and like-minded prosecutors.
aeh/dpa