Gaspar: Law Transforming Whistleblowers Protection Office Priority

Bratislava, 19 December (TASR) – The legislation that was intended to transform the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) into a new authority is a priority, according to Parliamentary Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD). Gaspar admitted on Friday that it would have been acceptable if the bill had been debated via the standard legislative process rather than a fast-track procedure. According to Gaspar, it was a political agreement to give priority to the debate on UOO over, for example, opposition motions to dismiss ministers. In an interview for TASR, he acknowledged that some proposals for shortened legislative proceedings are submitted by the government at the last minute. "From my point of view, this is genuinely important, because for two years the minister tried to communicate with the relevant body, specifically the prosecution service, which places people under protection. In my view, there was also partial communication with UOO. I didn't expect UOO to decide who should or shouldn't be removed from protection. It doesn't have powers for that; the prosecution service, which assesses placement under protection, is more important. When a request came to assess whether protection should continue and whether it was granted in good faith, the Prosecutor-General's Office told the Interior Ministry that it didn't have that power to assess it. So, it was clear that the law needed to be changed," Gaspar told TASR. According to Gaspar, the coalition was ready in December to discuss in Parliament all opposition motions to dismiss ministers. "Had it not been for the obstruction carried out by the opposition over the Whistleblowers Protection Office, it would probably have happened," he added. Gaspar admitted that there's a need to reflect on the reasons for using an accelerated legislative procedure for transforming UOO. He believes that there will be fewer proposals for shortened procedures in the second half of the government's term. The Act on the Office for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Whistleblowers of Anti-Social Activity, which was to replace the existing UOO as of 1 January, was approved by Parliament via a fast-track procedure in December despite a veto by President Peter Pellegrini. On Wednesday (17 December), the Constitutional Court suspended the effects of the law and accepted for further proceedings in full a petition filed by a group of opposition MPs. In their submission, the opposition objected that the legislation was possibly inconsistent with the Constitution and EU law as well as to the process of its adoption via a fast-track legislative procedure. mf/df