Interior Ministry to Present Qualified Position on UOO Before Court

Bratislava, 17 December (TASR) – The Interior Ministry will present a qualified position in proceedings before the Constitutional Court regarding a legislation that was to abolish the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers (UOO) and create a new authority, as the ministry is convinced the legislation is sound and will take effect, ministry spokesman Matej Neumann said on Wednesday. Neumann stated this in response to the Constitutional Court's decision to suspend the law's effectiveness. "This is so far only a decision to suspend effectiveness. In the proceedings before the Constitutional Court we will present a qualified position and we are convinced the court will confirm that the law is in order and will take effect," Neumann said. Earlier in the day, the Constitutional Court suspended the law's effectiveness at a closed-door session. It accepted in full a petition by a group of opposition members of Parliament for further proceedings. In their filing, the opposition argues a possible conflict between the legislation and the Constitution as well as European Union law, and also challenges the process of its adoption under a fast-tracked legislative procedure. MPs criticise, for example, the shortening of the term of office of the duly elected head of the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers, as well as changes related to granting and reviewing whistleblower protection. The petition to the Constitutional Court was also supported by Public Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky, who fears irreversible interference with fundamental rights and freedoms. He sees the main problem in a provision allowing previously granted whistleblower protection to be reviewed at any time, which he says introduces unpredictability into the system. mf