Ombudsman Requested Police Protection Due to Threats Received by His Office

Bratislava, 23 May (TASR) - Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky has requested police protection for his colleagues' workplace in response to hateful threats his office has been receiving after he recently challenged the conditions for the registration of churches and religious societies before the Constitutional Court, Dobrovodsky wrote on a social network on Saturday, adding that he considers such attacks to be extremely serious and unacceptable. Following the public statements saying that he wants to "Islamise Slovakia", a wave of hateful reactions, insults and threats from specific individuals has been unleashed against him and the Office of the Public Defender of Rights. He pointed out that his submission to the Constitutional Court responded to an initiative from the Old Catholics in Slovakia. "The false rhetoric of public officials can directly contribute to the escalation of aggression towards independent institutions and their staff. That's why I have asked the Police Corps to protect the workplace of my colleagues," said Dobrovodsky, adding that he plans to remain in contact with the police. A submission to the Constitutional Court is a legitimate and lawful instrument for protecting fundamental rights and freedoms, he said. "The current situation is not just an attack on specific individuals. It's an attack on the independence of a human rights institution, on the principle of the separation of powers and, ultimately, the rule of law in Slovakia. A democratic society cannot function where legal arguments are replaced by intimidation and threats," added Dobrovodsky. At a press conference held on Wednesday (20 May), Dobrovodsky said that he's challenged the conditions for registering churches and religious societies before the Constitutional Court regarding the requirement that they must have at least 50,000 members - adult Slovak nationals with permanent residence in Slovakia - which makes church registration de facto impossible. Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) stated in a post published on a social network on Thursday (21 May) that he doesn't understand why Dobrovodsky needs to come up with the issue of registering new churches. He considers the 50,000-member requirement to be a reasonable and necessary minimum. Also, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) said earlier that he doesn't understand the move and considers it to be dangerous. jrg