The Justice Ministry is considering implementing a new rule whereby criminals would automatically be given life imprisonment after conviction for a third serious crime.
Opposition politicians are against the proposal, which was first put forward last year, saying that it is both impractical and against legal traditions in central Europe. The opposition party Smer's Robert Kaliňák suggested that "if someone is involved in a rape for the third time and chooses whether or not to let the victim live, he would prefer to kill the inconvenient witness."
The proposal has already passed its first reading in parliament.
Compiled by Martina Pisárová from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
