Fourteen Judges Warn against Destruction of Rule of Law in Slovakia

Bratislava, December 5 (TASR) – Fourteen judges in a joint petition have called on President Zuzana Caputova, Parliament, Government and Judicial Council chairman Jan Mazak not to trample on democracy and the rule of law in Slovakia, TASR learnt on Saturday from one of the signatories, Bratislava judge Dagmar Buchalova.

The petition accuses Parliament and especially the Government of destroying the rule of law in Slovakia.

“Fundamental liberties of people in Slovakia are being violated, including their right to privacy, inviolability of person and their home, the right of free movement, the right to work and the right to the protection of medical secrecy,” reads the public call.

The judges criticised the fact that powers to restrict fundamental rights and liberties have been given to bodies that include the Public Health Authority, Pandemic Commission and the Central Crisis Management Team.

“Parliamentary democracy has been made defunct, with Parliament having adopted more than 50 pieces of legislation in fast-tracked proceedings, without allowing ordinary legislation process,” stated the judges, stressing that most of the bills had nothing to do with coronavirus.

The current Parliament was formed in March after a general election on February 29.
Meanwhile, the Government and the media have been denouncing the judiciary as corrupt, “only because there have been found some in the ranks of judges who’ve perhaps betrayed their vocation, while they still haven’t been validly sentenced”.

Apart from that, the judges criticised the presence of the media at “theatrical” crackdows of the National Crime Agency (NAKA) against some prominent figures. “[These operations] don’t pursue justice, but hatred and the diminishing of human dignity,” reads the petition.