Harabin Questions Caputova's Inauguration in View of His Legal Complaint
Bratislava, June 13 (TASR) – Unsuccessful presidential candidate Stefan Harabin has questioned the upcoming inauguration of Zuzana Caputova as Slovak president, arguing that the Constitutional Court hasn’t yet decided on his complaints regarding the outcome of the presidential election in March.
“How is it possible that we’re going to appoint a president in our country when the election process hasn’t been completed? Will her mandate be valid if the Constitutional Court fails to decide by June 15? And will all the decisions then be valid if an inauguration takes place without the Constitutional Court’s verdict?” asked Harabin at a news conference held on Thursday.
According to Harabin, Caputova should take up a responsible stance on the issue and refuse to be inaugurated without the Constitutional Court’s verdict. Harabin claims that the head of state can’t be appointed if any doubts exist, stressing the need to clear the election process of any such doubts.
Harabin lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court following the run-off round of the presidential election, claiming that the election wasn’t held in a constitutional and lawful fashion and that it should be annulled and repeated. According to him, Caputova bypassed the law when financing her election campaign and also did so by acquiring direct support from another candidate, Robert Mistrik, who withdrew before the election, and third parties.
Harabin added that the election result might also have been influenced by a discrepancy between the number of election cards issued and the number of votes cast.
The Constitutional Court at a non-public session on Wednesday (June 12) looked at Harabin’s complaints. Harabin raised an objection of bias against one member of the court plenum, meaning that the plenum couldn’t decide further on Harabin’s complaints as it was incomplete, the Constitutional Court Office has told TASR.