Danko: SNS Supports Public Election of Constitutional Court Judges

Bratislava, February 11 (TASR) – I prefer a public election of candidates for constitutional judges, Parliament Chair and Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko said at a press conference on Monday, adding that he rejects politicking, and therefore SNS MPs will have a free hand in the election.

The election of candidates for constitutional judges is slated to be held on Tuesday (February 12) at 5 p.m. Danko announced a potential repeated election for Thursday (February 14) at 11 a.m.

“The typical public vote with cards and a voting device isn’t possible in this case. The law recognises in the election of candidates for constitutional judges a quasi public vote that resides in every MP receiving a ballot with 39 names. After the vote, you will see, if the vote is public, which is also supported by me, who selected which candidates to the Constitutional Court,” said Danko.

If Parliament elects at least six candidates for Constitutional Court judges, Danko is, according to him, obliged to send these names to the presidential office. “The ballot paper will be valid if an MP circles up to 18 candidates, while they can circle also a smaller number,” said the head of Parliament.

The parliamentary chair also admitted a coalition negotiation before the election where they could agree on names of candidates. However, he rejected that he would hold talks about the vote with the far-right LSNS party.

Parliament is set to elect candidates for constitutional judges on Tuesday (February 12). MPs should select 18 from 39 applicants for the posts and submit them to the president, who should then appoint nine judges to serve at the Constitutional Court for 12 years.