SNS says it will take Language Act amendment to Slovakia’s Constitutional Court

The Slovak National Party (SNS) plans to submit the amendment to the State Language Act to the Constitutional Court if it passes again in Parliament, SNS vice-chair Rafael Rafaj told the TASR newswire on Sunday, January 2. The amendment has been vetoed by President Ivan Gašparovič and is now heading back to parliament, which will likely override the presidential veto.

The Slovak National Party (SNS) plans to submit the amendment to the State Language Act to the Constitutional Court if it passes again in Parliament, SNS vice-chair Rafael Rafaj told the TASR newswire on Sunday, January 2.

The amendment has been vetoed by President Ivan Gašparovič and is now heading back to parliament, which will likely override the presidential veto.

"The amendment has serious shortcomings. If the [governing] coalition overrides the President's veto, this law will end up at the Constitutional Court," stated Rafaj, adding that his party wants to exhaust all legislative options before filing a complaint with the court. He added that SNS will need allies in this process and is counting on Smer MPs to support its initiative but he said SNS has not approached Smer so far.

"The state language should take precedence over other languages, whereas the philosophy that was stipulated in the recent amendment introduces a kind of 'two-track approach', which we consider to be at odds with the Constitution. In the Act the Slovak language is defined as the official language ... but the Slovak language has basically lost this position due to this amendment," Rafaj explained.

"SNS may think this way, but I'm convinced that the law isn't unconstitutional," Most-Híd chairman Béla Bugár told TASR, adding that if the amendment passes again it will ensure "a more democratic use of the state language and/or enable the use of minority language as well".

Source: TASR

Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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