Judicial Council Selects Prochazka as Candidate for EUGC Judge

Judicial Council Selects Prochazka as Candidate for EUGC Judge

Bratislava, September 19 (TASR) – Former Siet (Network) party leader Radoslav Prochazka could become Slovakia’s official candidate for the post of additional judge at the EU General Court (EUGC) if approved by the Cabinet, as members of the Judicial Council on Monday supported Prochazka with ten votes out of a total of 17.

Prochazka’s only opponent, Supreme Court judge Ivan Ruman, received only four votes.

“I appreciate the decision of the Judicial Council, and I’m grateful for its trust, which will be assessed by the Cabinet and later by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) according to Article 255 [of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU], which are the two most competent groups of people that can have a say about this because they know the system the best; they can best assess a person’s ability to hold this post,” responded Prochazka to his selection.

Prochazka isn’t worried that his political career could hinder him from being accepted by the CJEU. He’ll renounce his parliamentary mandate only after he’s been assigned the prestigious international post.

Slovakia managed to acquire one of the 12 posts of additional judges, but its judge should have assumed the post on September 1 at the latest. The delay was caused due to the fact that the EUGC committee, which is responsible for assessing candidates, didn’t approve Slovakia’s original candidate – Maria Patakyova – due to her lack of French, which is the working language of the EUGC.

The EUGC is the first-instance body of the CJEU in Luxembourg. It was set up in 1998 to provide two-stage judicial supervision over certain areas and in order to relieve the CJEU itself.

With at least one judge from each member state, EUGC judges are appointed by common accord of the governments of EU members. Their term of office is six years and is renewable. The judges appoint their president from among their own ranks for a period of three years.