After his draft bill on limiting MP immunity failed to muster the support needed to overcome procedural hurdles in the Slovak parliament, opposition deputy Daniel Lipšic decried the ruling coalition for talking the talk that no one’s above the law, but not walking the walk.
The former justice minister objected most to the fashion in which his bill was rejected – by a vote on whether to keep it on the agenda, rather than on whether to approve it – calling it “cowardly”.
Lipšic also criticized Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška (SMER) for “preaching water and drinking wine” by saying he supported reducing MP immunity, but not voting for the bill in the end. Lipšic alleges the ruling coalition’s preferred course of establishing a constitutional commission to decide on the issue would serve only to sweep sensitive constitutional proposals under the carpet.
Paška is convinced, however, that the topic of immunity will return to parliament’s agenda in the autumn, despite its unpopularity among the coalition partners. Paška said he would personally support the complete repeal of MP immunity, even for statements made in parliament.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
21. Jun 2007 at 7:00
