European Commission to Analyse Law on UOO Changes and Decide on Further Steps

Brussels, 12 December (TASR) - The European Commission (EC) regrets that the Slovak Parliament didn't take the opportunity to thoroughly consult the law changing the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) into a new authority, the Commission said in a statement on Friday, adding that it will now analyse the law and decide on further steps. "We're aware that the Slovak Parliament this morning adopted this law, which was sent back to the legislative process yesterday after it was vetoed by the Slovak president [Peter Pellegrini]," said the EC, noting that it expressed its concerns about several provisions of this law, while President Peter Pellegrini had voiced similar concerns in his veto on Thursday (11 December). The European Commission stated that its concerns relate to EU legislation, and it communicated them in a letter from European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath. "This concerns in particular the scrapping of the existing Whistleblowers Protection Office and the resulting premature termination of the mandate of the office's head," added the EC. MPs overrode President Peter Pellegrini's veto and reapproved a law transforming UOO into a new authority on Friday. A new Crime Victims and Whistleblowers Protection Office will thus be set up in Slovakia, replacing the current UOO. In addition to handling whistleblower cases, it will also take over the agenda of compensating victims of crime from the Justice Ministry. Pellegrini has said that he won't sign the law on transforming UOO into a new authority even after his veto was overridden, insisting on his reasons. He pointed to the absence of grounds for fast-tracked legislative proceedings, serious substantive objections regarding the inadequate protection of crime victims, and unresolved reservations on the part of the European Commission with possible consequences for Slovakia. am/df