Supreme Court Decides Not to Dissolve LSNS

Bratislava, April 29 (TASR) – A senate of the Supreme Court dismissed a motion to dissolve the far-right People’s Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) on Monday.

The Court’s ruling was announced in front of representatives of the Prosecutor-General’s Office and statutory representative of the party and its chief Marian Kotleba.

The motion to dissolve the party was submitted to Prosecutor-General Jaromir Ciznar in May 2017. The senate was led by chairwoman Jana Zemkova. The first proceedings were held on April 9, when it was decided that the ruling would be postponed.

Representative of the Prosecutor-General’s Office Ivan Minar argued at that time that party figures have voiced anti-Roma statements and described the current political system in Slovakia as totalitarian.

The defence argued that it sees no reason to dissolve the party. Kotleba claimed that the prosecutor didn’t file a single specific reason that could sufficiently justify the motion.

Kotleba’s earlier party – Slovak Togetherness-National Party – was banned more than a decade ago for what the Supreme Court at the time stated was the violation of the Constitution and other laws, as well as international treaties. That case at the court on behalf of the Prosecutor-General’s Office was also spearheaded by Minar.