BRATISLAVA, October 3, (WEBNOVINY) — It is possible that the strongest opposition party SMER-SD will initiate a no-confidence motion to remove Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska (SDKU-DS) from office. Yet, SMER-SD Chairman Robert Fico gives her two options before they proceed this far: improving the situation in Slovakia’s judiciary, as his party accuses Zitnanska of being responsible for its woes or leaving her post voluntarily. Fico claims that the judiciary was never so destabilized as it is under the current minister and Cabinet. “During the fourteen months she has been Justice Minister, Lucia Zitnanska did not deal with anything else than eliminating Supreme Court President Stefan Harabin, politicizing the judiciary and securing [influence in] the prosecution service,” Fico claimed at a press conference. He maintains that Zitnanska was given the task when she entered office and embarked on it with verve of a hired(!) mercenary. Fico also said the reason is that the Cabinet wants to control the judicial system in order to criminalize the opposition as they are unable of presenting any program. “Courts and the prosecution service are being ‚normalized‘ in the spirit of the seventies in the last century,” stated Fico.
SMER chairman pointed out the amendment to the law on the prosecution service, in which, according to him, the Constitutional Court suspended most provisions. Fico said that the court agreed with criticism coming from the opposition, expert public and the president. He also pointed out current resolution of the European Association of Judges according to which revisions of judiciary-related laws could lead to an increased influence of the government on the judiciary.
However, Minister Zitnanska stands up for the changes she made and is not planning to resign. “If I were him, I would better be quiet. He is the one who brought politics to the justice department,” said the minister, adding that the current government dealt with debts that were left in the branch after the government of Robert Fico. “Never in the past has the judiciary been so open to the public as it is today. Today the public can go watch contests for judges as well as for senior judicial officials, which are especially transparent. From January, first new technologies will be at the courts so that automatic transcripts of spoken word will be made, decisions of the courts will be published,” said Zitnanska, summing up that she will not give up fulfilling the government’s program document and decisions of the Cabinet.
SITA