Yesterday, the Slovak Parliament approved a controversial judicial reform with the votes of the three-party coalition led by leftist nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The opposition boycotted the vote. Opposition parties have been organizing mass demonstrations against reform since December.
The reform provides for more fines and alternative punishments such as ankle bracelets instead of imprisonment for white-collar crimes. The ruling parties have confirmed that they want to bring Slovakia's very high prison sentences in line with European Union standards.
Opposition parties described the plans as a “pro-mafia package”: the real aim is to sweep corruption issues from previous periods in Fico Smer's party government under the rug. The European Commission and the European Parliament also expressed criticism.
The Special Prosecutor's Office will be abolished
One of the most controversial contents of the reform is the abolition of the Special Prosecutor's Office responsible for organized crime and political crimes because it has been “politically abused.”
The anti-Fico coalition, which won the 2020 elections against the long-serving head of government, succeeded in this prosecution, with the help of controversial changes in the law, in subduing former politician Daniel Leipsic, who came from its ranks.
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