President: Quality of Lawmaking Process Poor in Slovakia

Bratislava, 18 March (TASR) - The quality of the legislative process and the drafting of new laws in Slovakia is poor, President Peter Pellegrini stated at a Wednesday press conference after meeting House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD). Pellegrini called on the government and Parliament to return to the standard legislative process. The head of state also criticised the misuse of fast-track legislative procedures and the addition of unrelated amendments to laws. The president added that from now on he will carefully review such legislative "riders" and veto them. "Unfortunately, following the example of the previous government, we are also witnessing an extremely high number of fast-track legislative procedures under this governing coalition... I have the feeling that fast-track procedures are often being misused or used because ministerial officials do not prepare legislation sufficiently in advance," Pellegrini said. As for unrelated amendments attached to bills, the president said that when signing such additions he had always prioritised substance over form, but after the latest parliamentary session this approach had reached its limits. "I want to warn both Parliament and the government in advance that I will very carefully and consistently monitor whether the conditions for adopting something under a fast-track procedure have been met, and whether any attachment, which is a breach of legislative rules, can or cannot be approved and signed, and whether it even makes sense in relation to the originally proposed law," the president stated. In such cases, Pellegrini said he will propose removing these "riders" or veto the bills as a whole. "Otherwise, the quality of the legislative process in Slovakia will only deteriorate further," Pellegrini added. He also noted that on Tuesday (17 March) he approved a similar type of law — on funeral services and war graves — with two amendments. One concerned deadlines required for the successful use of recovery plan funds, and the other proposed repealing the law that had abolished the Whistleblower Protection Office (UOO). mf