Simecka: We Currently Have Weakest Parliament, Producing Worst Laws

Bratislava, 20 December (TASR) - Parliament serving in the current electoral term is the weakest and worst-functioning, opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simečka has said in an interview for TASR, ascribing it to the actions of the currently governing majority. According to Simecka, many laws are only passed to get people close to the government off charges and accountability. These are not only harmful, but also unconstitutional, stated the PS leader, adding that Parliament behaves as if it were subordinated to the government. "I am relatively a newcomer to the Slovak Parliament, I've been there for over two years. However, from what I've seen and what I remember from past electoral terms, this is the weakest, worst-functioning Parliament under the leadership of this governing coalition, producing the worst laws," stated Simecka, adding that this is a consequence of the actions taken by the currently governing majority. "We witness a plenty of laws that are not only bad and harmful, but also unconstitutional," he added. Simecka stated that the governing coalition devoted a lot of energy only to see "its people", especially House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD), acquitted. "I have the feeling that the governing majority had no other, more important goal during the past two years than to work to protect 'its people' from justice," he noted. Simecka pointed out the changes to the Penal Code, the scrapping of the Special Prosecutor's Office and the scrapping of the Whistleblowers Protection Office. "It's as if nothing else matters to them, and they're doing it even so poorly that everything needs to be fixed a hundred times," he said, adding that citizens expect their Parliament to pass laws primarily to improve their lives. According to Simecka, many practical and important bills, such as the transpositions of EU directives, are being pushed forward by Parliament for months and are being shifted from one session to another. "I fear that at this pace, there will be dozens of things left undiscussed at the end of the electoral term," he said. He stressed that Parliament should be sovereign in relation to the government and supervise it, but it is rather subservient to the executive at this time. ko