BRATISLAVA, March 4, (WEBNOVINY) – Judicial Council Chairman Stefan Harabin says that the reason for Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska’s opposing to the upcoming session of the Judicial Council in Snina could be an attempt to produce a conflict. Zitnanska (SDKU-DS) considers the fact that Judicial Council Chairman Stefan Harabin has called its next session to a hotel in Snina a demonstration of great disrespect and possibly malice toward the members of the Judicial Council. “But at the same time I consider it an expression of weakness, as it is understandable that access for media and NGOs interested in this session of the Judicial Council will be different in Snina, in Sninske Rybniky,” said Zitnanska.
Harabin answered that the Judicial Council already held several sessions in eastern Slovakia in the past, when Milan Karabin led it. “Miss Zitnanska had no objections back then. Now there has been no negative article on Harabin [in the media] this week, so this maybe makes the Minister sick, she therefore needs to produce a conflict,” said Harabin. “There was only one person from [the head of the Fair Play Alliance, Zuzana] Wienk and two reporters at the Judicial Council’s first public session in Bratislava. The Council’s session in Snina is no obstacle for the public. I hereby invite all citizens to the session, whereas the audio recording is always available on-line,” emphasized Harabin.
However, Minister Zitnanska does not consider such sessions of the Judicial Council to be usual. “I know that the Judicial Council has used the Justice Academy facility in Omsenie, when they had a more days lasting session. I know they plan to do the same now as well/ they plan to elect the Judicial Council Vice-chairman there, which was usually elected in Bratislava,” said Zitnanska, adding, that all 24 candidates for disciplinary judges will have to come to Snina, which she considers disrespectful toward them. The Judicial Council is to elect the judges of the Disciplinary Court on March 8.
According to the statement that the Supreme Court spokesman Milan Jurci gave the media, neither the Supreme Court nor the Judicial Council have any advantages or privileges after Zitnanska entered her office. He said that all other courts have training in the Justice Academy and Education Institute in Omsenie
SITA