PG: No Legal Requirements Met for Fast-track Procedure on Bill on New Office

Bratislava, 22 November (TASR) - The Prosecutor-General (PG) Maros Zilinka has joined the critics of the government's resolution concerning the law on the new Crime Victim and Whistleblower Protection Office. Zilinka specifically pointed to the fast-track procedure via which the legislation should be adopted. "I don't see any legal requirements met for the law to be treated via fast-track legislative procedure," he posted on the social network. At its special session on Saturday, the government approved setting up the new Crime Victim and Whistleblower Protection Office that should take over the agenda of the compensation of crime victims from the Justice Ministry and replace the current Whistleblower Protection Office. The Interior Ministry argued by the need to respond to the biggest problems that stemmed from the application of the law so far, chiefly insufficient rights of an employer of a protected whistleblower and to increase effectiveness of institutional protection of crime victims and whistleblowers, which is currently divided among several state bodies. In addition to the Whistleblower Proction Office (UOO) itself, the bill was criticised by the opposition, which views it as political interference in the current office's independence and further weakening of the rule of law. Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) said that they intend to submit the bill to the next House session due to start on Tuesday (25 November). ko