Pellegrini: I Don't Insist on Seven-year mandate of new Police President
Bratislava, September 3 (TASR) – The tenure of the new Police Corps president might not last for seven years in the end, said Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) on Radio Expres’s talk show Brano Zavodsky Nazivo on Monday.
The premier was responding to the fact that a draft amendment to the Police Corps Act in addition to resistance from the Opposition hasn’t been unanimously agreed even within the governing coalition. “If someone is irritated by the seven-year period, I’ll calmly express the preference that it should be shortened with the opportunity for applicants to apply for it once again because it motivates them to carry out their job responsibly and well in order to have a chance of being elected again,” said Pellegrini.
The prime minister also commented on the reform of the police inspectorate, which shouldn’t in fact be moved under the remit of the Prosecutor-General’s Office as suggested by former justice minister Lucia Zitnanska (Most-Hid). According to Pellegrini, there’s a need to focus on what’s essential. “We’re very much focused on the organisational structure, but we should pay attention instead to the morals of the person that will be at the helm,” said Pellegrini, who believes that “the amendment that will be proposed now will be even better than the situation today”.
Pellegrini also reiterated on the radio show that Smer still insists that Miroslav Lajcak would be the best president of Slovakia. Pellegrini ruled out his own candidacy, however. “I’m not considering and have never considered such a possibility,” he said.
