Susko Surprised by Conclusions of MEPs from Monitoring Group

Bratislava, 4 June (TASR) - Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) has expressed surprise at the conclusions drawn by MEPs from the monitoring group on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. According to him, their final report was different from the information that they received from the Justice Ministry during talks at the Government Office and with the Judicial Council. "We consider this to be a really very indiscriminate way of engaging in politics on the part of the European Parliament and MEPs, especially in view of the fact that we had long talks with them, over an hour-long session, at which we briefed them on all the questions they asked," Susko stated on Wednesday. The minister pointed out that all the issues in question had been discussed with the European Commission both last year and this year, with the conclusion that Slovakia is meeting all the conditions for protecting the financial interests of the European Union, including in terms of the rule of law. A four-member delegation from the European Parliament's committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs paid a two-day monitoring visit to Slovakia. Following the visit, Sophie Wilmes, the chair of the monitoring group on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, expressed concern about the direction that Slovakia is taking. In her findings, she pointed to, for example, inappropriate rhetoric by government officials not only towards the opposition, but also towards judges and the media. am/df