SaS Submits Own Bill to Repeal Law on UOO Transformation

Bratislava, 12 March (TASR) - Opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party MPs have submitted a bill to repeal the law abolishing the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) and establishing a new office, MP Ondrej Dostal (SaS) told a press conference on Thursday, adding that the government is invited to propose a fast-track legislative procedure for this. Dostal said that the reason is "to prevent the governing coalition from handling a good thing, i.e. abolishing that stupid and shameful piece of legislation filled with Estok's revenge, in a legislatively incorrect manner" [a reference to Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) - ed. note]. "Specifically, we fear it won't be a standalone law, as it should be, which means a bill repealing a previous law, and that it won't undergo a fast-track procedure, despite the existence of reasons prescribed by law in this case" he stated, adding that the law to transform UOO was drafted by the coalition with the intention of removing UOO's leadership. "And this was taking place at a time when Matus Sutaj Estok lost a court case against investigators that he had previously labelled as mobsters, with the reason being his failure to check his electronic mailbox," he said, referring to "the atmosphere in which a proposal for the de facto scrapping of the office emerged". Dostal added that this move wasn't unlike the one "applied by the coalition when removing and getting rid of the general director of [public broadcaster] RTVS". He noted that Sutaj Estok was supposed to request permission from UOO with regard to personnel changes involving the 'Curilla group' of police investigators. However, he failed to do so, and the ministry received a fine. The governing coalition agreed to scrap the law after its implementation was suspended by the Constitutional Court. Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said that the repeal should take place at the March House session, noting that the government stands by this law but must respect the Constitutional Court's ruling. According to Fico, the result of the current situation is 'legislative deadlock' that complicates matters. The legislation approved by Parliament in December was intended to transform UOO into a new Office for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Whistleblowers. In addition to handling the whistleblower agenda, the new body was supposed to take over responsibility for compensating victims of crime from the Justice Ministry. The law was also intended to address reviews of protection in criminal and administrative proceedings. jrg/df