Prosecutor-General to Challenge Criminal Code Amendment at Court

Bratislava, 29 December (TASR) - Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka will turn to the Constitutional Court over the amendment to the Criminal Code, submitting a motion to initiate proceedings on the conformity of its legal regulations, TASR learnt from Zilinka's social media post on Monday. The amendment to the Criminal Code reintroduces the 'three strikes' rule for petty theft. It also expands the definition of the criminal offence of obstructing an election campaign, including acting in concert with a "foreign power", and introduces criminal liability for "denying or questioning post-war documents on the arrangement of conditions after the Second World War in Slovakia". The institution of cooperating accused persons has also been modified. Parliament debated the amendment via a fast-track legislative procedure. The legislation was signed by President Peter Pellegrini, and most of its provisions have already entered into force. Zilinka criticised the criminal amendment as early as during the legislative process. He described as particularly harmful the changes to the Criminal Procedure Code that it contains. According to Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD), the amendment to the Criminal Code, which also changes the Criminal Procedure Code in the sphere of cooperating defendants, isn't bringing about a revolution but common sense and legal logic. In his view, the principles of justice remain preserved. He also argued that the amendment isn't abolishing the institution of the cooperating accused and won't weaken the fight against corruption or cause investigations to collapse. Instead, it will strengthen the quality of evidence and the credibility of court decisions. Susko described opposition reactions to the approved changes as histrionic theatrics. According to the opposition parties, the legislation has been drafted to address problems on behalf of the "mafia" and is aimed at guaranteeing impunity from prosecution for people who commit serious crimes. mf/df