Courts Violated Lipsic's Rights in Criticism of Anti-discrimination Lawsuits
Kosice, July 12 (TASR) - The Constitutional Court has ruled in favour of former politician Daniel Lipsic that his fundamental right to freedom of expression and judicial protection was violated in the case of his criticism of anti-discrimination lawsuits brought by judges in 2010, TASR learnt on Friday.
The 2015 judgement of the Kosice-okolie District Court that Lipsic should pay €10,000 in compensation for non-pecuniary damages to then-judge Juraj Sopoliga is thus not final. The case will be decided again by the Regional Court of Appeal.
On the basis of Lipsic's complaint, the Constitutional Court overturned on July 3 the resolution of the Supreme Court of February 2020 and the judgement of the Kosice Regional Court of March 2017, which upheld the previous decision of the Kosice-okolie District Court.
Judge and former Judicial Council member Juraj Sopoliga filed a complaint against Lipsic over the latter's 2010 statements attacking anti-discrimination lawsuits of judges as illegal and immoral.
Then MP Lipsic claimed then that judges who sued over alleged discrimination are greedy and pointed to Sopoliga as the behind-the-scenes instigator, organising the filing of mass lawsuits.
In 2010, hundreds of Slovak judges submitted lawsuits for alleged discrimination in salaries compared to the judges of the Special Court.
The Kosice Regional Court judge claimed that Lipsic misled the public and tarnished his professionalism and moral credit and sought €10,000 in compensation for defamation. The Kosice District Court decided that Lipsic had to pay the amount. Lipsic unsuccessfully appealed against the verdict, subsequently filed an appeal and later a constitutional complaint.
The lawsuit dragged on for years due to numerous complaints. One of the objections was raised over the fact that Sopoliga served as a long-time court official at the Kosice Court, which, according to Lipsic, cast significant doubt over the unbiased approach of the court.
