Prosecutor-General Files 17 Comments Regarding Criminal Procedure Code Amendment

Bratislava, 10 April (TASR) - The Prosecutor-General's Office has submitted 17 comments concerning the draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code drawn up by the Justice Ministry, with 15 comments flagged as 'fundamental', Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka announced on a social network on Friday, adding that the comments were submitted as part of the inter-departmental review procedure. "The Prosecutor-General's Office has assessed the bill amending the Criminal Procedure Code with regard to the institution of so-called cooperating defendants and has filed 17 comments, of which 15 are fundamental," stated Zilinka. According to him, the comments are available in their full wording on the Slov-Lex legislation website. The draft amendment seeks to introduce, inter alia, a provision stating that a conviction mustn't be based solely on the testimony of a cooperating witness, as it would have to be supported by other evidence confirming such testimony while at the same time ruling out any doubts regarding its credibility. In the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code, the condition that a cooperating defendant's testimony must be supported by other evidence has also been included among the requirements for an indictment. jrg/df