Monitor: Kalinak Not Expecting President to Veto Penal Code Amendment

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', 14 December) Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) stated on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday that he doesn't expect President Peter Pellegrini to veto the Penal Code amendment, and he also advocated the transformation of the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO). In connection with the president's veto, Kalinak admitted that he doesn't expect it because the president "was also affected by such conduct and he knows what it's like when cooperating defendants are lying". According to him, the approved amendment is only intended to ensure that cooperating defendants do not lie and rather tell the truth. He stressed that if a cooperating defendant is the only evidence, such persons should be trustworthy. He also assured that the new office, which will replace the current UOO, will remain independent, and he doesn't understand why the president vetoed the UOO law. His opponent on the show, opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka, said the scrapping of UOO was purposeful and he doesn't believe the new office will be independent. Simecka described overriding the president's veto "by force" and before Christmas as "insane" and he also criticised the adoption of the Penal Code amendment, as it will deprive the state of any possibility or a tool to "prosecute mafia members and organised crime". If cooperating defendants have lied once in high-profile cases, they automatically become untrustworthy in all subsequent cases, added Simecka. The summit on the financing of Ukraine was described by Kalinak as extremely important in that Europe's future will be discussed as well. He reiterated that the military conflict must be resolved as soon as possible and said US President Donald Trump's draft peace plan was a good one. According to Kalinak, territorial compromise must be part of the peace, otherwise Russia wouldn't come to the negotiating table. Russia may say whatever it wants, he added, but what matters is what the peace treaty contains. If Europe wants Ukraine to win the war, it will have to send troops, according to Kalinak. He also defended large defence expenditures and argued they were needed for modernisation. Although Slovakia isn't facing a direct threat, he said the threat "develops over years". According to Simecka, it's up to the EU to come up with a proposal that will help Ukraine. He believes that reparations from Russia to Ukraine would be morally right, while it's also in Slovakia's interest that Ukraine doesn't capitulate to Russia. He rejected claims about this effort being a "military adventure of Brussels". "Russia doesn't want peace, that's the basic premise," stated Simecka. He believes it's necessary to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin so that he agrees to a deal. Although the modernisation of the defence sector is necessary, Simecka stressed that it must be done transparently and also based on consultations. jrg