SaS to Submit Proposals to Parliament Aimed at Tackling Rising Number of Thefts

Bratislava, 6 November (TASR) – The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party will submit proposals to Parliament aimed at tackling the rising crime rate and petty theft, proposing a return to the so-called 'Horalky clause' [a 'three strikes and you're out' principle - ed.note], SaS representatives told a press conference on Thursday, adding that the party also wants to introduce a new punishment of re-education. "What we warned the governing coalition about has come to pass: if they pushed through this shameful amendment to the Penal Code, it would not only open the gates of prisons, but also open up the whole of Slovakia to crime. We can see a lot of theft here, theft from the state, but what people really experience on a daily basis is that they don't feel safe, even when they go to a shop or park ... We must pull the handbrake immediately. We're therefore coming up with a proposal that we aren't claiming is completely ideal, but it is now absolutely crucial that we pull the handbrake and send a signal to the whole of Slovakia that stealing doesn't pay," said MP Maria Kolikova (SaS). SaS MPs have therefore proposed a return to the so-called 'Horalky clause', which punished repeated petty theft. They also want to introduce a new punishment of re-education behind bars. They explained that with this type of punishment, a person would be sent to prison for several hours after a second theft and undergo training there. They believe that this could have an educational effect on offenders and deter them from committing further crimes. "However, until prisons are ready for this, we need to return to the 'Horalky clause'," said Kolikova. SaS called on the government and Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) to take a responsible approach to the proposals and adopt the measures presented via a fast-tracked legislative procedure. am/df