Zilinka Finds Constitutional Court Decision to Halt UOO Reform Significant

Bratislava, 17 December (TASR) - Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka considers Wednesday's decision of the Constitutional Court to suspend the effectiveness of the law transforming the Whistleblower Protection Office (UOO) into a new authority and to accept a motion by a group of members of Parliament for further proceedings to be extremely significant. "The decision of the Constitutional Court will prevent possible negative and irreparable consequences of the new legal regulation and at the same time allow a review of its compliance with the Constitution, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Treaty on the European Union," Zilinka stated. At the end of November, the Prosecutor-General addressed a letter with objections to the proposed transformation of the UOO into another authority to House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD). According to Zilinka, the statutory conditions for a fast-tracked legislative procedure were not met. At the same time, he said the proposer, the Interior Ministry, chose a non-standard way of establishing the new authority, narrowed the protection of whistleblowers of anti-social activity without regard to European Union law, and failed to respect the principles of the rule of law. The law on the Office for the Protection of Victims of Criminal Offences and Whistleblowers of Anti-Social Activity, which was to replace the existing UOO as of 1 January, was approved by Parliament in December despite a veto by President Peter Pellegrini. mf