The opposition-initiated motion of no-confidence in Justice Minister Viera Petríková will go before parliament without government approval as it was rejected by the cabinet at its weekly policy meeting on October 14, the TASR newswire reported.
The no-confidence vote will be debated at a special session that was called by Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paška for Thursday, October 15, after MPs Lucia Žitnaňská (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union, SDKU), Daniel Lipšic (Christian Democratic Movement, KDH) and Gyula Bárdos (ethnic Hungarian, SMK) handed in the signatures of 48 legislators backing the move.
The opposition MPs accuse Petríková of holding disciplinary proceedings against Banská Bystrica district court Jana Dubovcová for her remarks criticising the-then justice minister Štefan Harabin and the state of judiciary. They claim that this was a blatant attempt to intimidate judges whose opinions on the judiciary diverge from those of the Justice Ministry and the Government, TASR wrote.
“As for Judge Dubovcová, Petríková didn't hesitate even a day to suspend her from the bench. However, in the case of Judge Miriam Sninská, who is being prosecuted for criminal corruption, the Justice Ministry didn't suspend her from office for two years - until the case was publicised and public pressure was put on her. We believe that such conduct lowers the credibility of the Slovak justice system and disqualifies her (Petrikova) from the post of justice minister,” reads the motion. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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