Gov't Approves Amendment to Penal Code Taking into Account Consultations with EC

Bratislava, July 10 (TASR) - The government at its session on Wednesday approved a draft amendment to the Penal Code that takes into account the results of consultations with the European Commission. In the case of crimes against the financial interests of the EU, the draft amendment proposes that mandatory imprisonment should be applied if the upper limit of the sentence provided for in the Penal Code exceeds six years. As for the crimes of obstruction of tax administration, indirect corruption and receiving and giving an undue advantage, the draft proposes to align the length of imprisonment with the requirements of the relevant directive of the European Parliament and Council of the EU. The Criminal Code will also introduce a regulation on the impact assessment of a new legal regulation that shortens the limitation periods in cases in which, prior to the change in the law, the limitation period was interrupted for crimes detrimental to the EU's financial interests. The government proposed to Parliament to deal with the amendment via fast-track procedure. zel/mcs