Kosova: Involvement in Politics Precludes Harabin from Judicial Council

Bratislava, May 14 (TASR) - Stefan Harabin's involvement in politics precludes his possible candidacy for the post of a Judicial Council member, newly-elected Judicial Council chair Marcela Kosova told a news conference on Tuesday. In the sense of the standards of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) and the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) at the European Commission, a Judicial Council member should not be engaged in politics for some time before becoming its member, stated Kosova. "As Mr. Harabin has been engaged in politics, for example, when running for a presidential post, though formally doing so as a civil candidate, there was support from some political parties, which, in my opinion, precludes him from being a Judicial Council member. However, it is up to Parliament who sends us here in this way," added Kosova. Slovak National Party (SNS) MP Rudolf Huliak former informed the media about justice minister Harabin's nomination to be a Judicial Council member in April. According to him, SNS MPs and party leader Andrej Danko agreed on Harabin's nomination. MP Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) then noted that it will be a problem to agree in the coalition on Harabin. ko/mcs