The Slovak parliament has approved a series of reforms eliminating a specialized prosecution office handling high-profile crimes in the country, and reducing penalties for financial allegations. These measures were passed through a fast-track process, despite facing significant public dissent and reservations expressed by the European Commission.
The reforms were initiated by the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, who took office for the third time in October 2023. Fico claims the amendments are essential to curtail alleged abuses by the Special Prosecutor’s Office (USP) and claimed biases against his party. He has previously asserted that the USP was politically motivated and violated human rights.
Approval of these reforms comes despite recent protests across 24 Slovak cities, including the capital Bratislava. Opposition Slovensko deputy Michal Sipos, together with over 26,000 Slovak citizens who have protested, contends that the law serves as protective armor for Fico’s close associates against legal scrutiny.
Concerns related to these reforms have also gained international attention, with several institutions within the European Union, where Slovakia is a member, adopting a critical stance. The European Parliament passed a resolution in January questioning Slovakia’s capacity to combat corruption and safeguard the EU budget if these criminal law reforms were enacted.
Furthermore, the European Commission has hinted at withholding Slovakia’s funding. EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova told the AFP news agency that a state failing to ensure protection against corruption is ineligible to receive funding under EU rules. She was particularly concerned about the proposed abolishment of the USP, suggesting it might enable certain cases to be overlooked.
Current President Zuzana Čaputová has called the approval of these reforms alarming for all Slovak people. In an English-language statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Čaputová argued that the proposed reforms clashed with the country’s constitutional framework:
“Slovakia’s constitutional framework admits a fast-track legislative process under specific and clearly defined conditions. The bill modifying our criminal policy was passed in a fast-track legislative procedure with no legal grounds for such a process. This has effectively prevented a proper expert review and a discussion about the merit of the proposed changes. Moreover, some of the last-minute modifications of the bill were proposed by the MPs whose ongoing investigations will be directly affected by the changes this law is introducing.”
As a result, Čaputová is set on leveraging all conceivable legal and constitutional strategies to prevent the legislation from taking effect.