Rasi: There's Debate on New Changes to Criminal Code and Vote to Decide Outcome

Bratislava, 11 December (TASR) – Debate is under way in the Parliament on new changes proposed for inclusion in the amendment to the Criminal Code, House Chair Richard Rasi (Hlas-SD) declared on Thursday. Responding to a journalist's question on whether it is appropriate, in such a fast-tracked procedure, to add attachments to the draft, he said that MPs will decide on that by voting. Rasi's remarks referred to the new amending proposals to the Criminal Code amendment that emerged from parliamentary committee deliberations. One of the proposals concerns adjustments to the institution of the cooperating defendant. Rasi said he understood from the bill's justification that the proposal aims to prevent verdicts being based on the testimony of someone who has demonstrably lied. He stressed, however, that Voice-SD hasn't authored the proposal. Rasi also commented on a motion to introduce criminal liability "for denying or questioning post-war documents governing the settlement of conditions in Slovakia after the Second World War". He believes the issue of the Benes Decrees would not be so prominent had it not been "so unprofessionally" raised by the opposition's Progressive Slovakia party. Asked whether he's concerned about a veto from President Peter Pellegrini, he replied that the head of state acts on the basis of his conviction and the legal assessments provided by his teams. "The President can return any law to us," he added. mf