SUPREME Court President Štefan Harabin will allegedly run for another term in his post, the Sme daily reported in its April 15 issue. The daily refers to an announcement it received in which Harabin gives his written consent to his candidacy for re-election to the post. The election will take place on May 19.
Harabin’s office has neither confirmed nor denied the information. It wrote that Harabin will announce his official decision within the next few days. The office of the Judicial Council, which will elect the new president, told the SITA newswire that it has not received any applications yet.
The candidates for the Supreme Court president post can be proposed by the members of the Judicial Council, the councils of judges, judicial organisations, associations of the Supreme Court judges, Supreme Court judges and the justice minister. Every application has to contain the candidate’s name, the date of his or her appointment as a judge and the date when he or she started working in the Supreme Court. It also requires a signed confirmation of the candidacy. The application is then sent to the chair of the Judicial Council.
Harabin, whose current tenure will expire on June 22, announced the election for the Supreme Court president soon after the second round of the presidential election. The vote shall take place in May; thus, incumbent President Ivan Gašparovič could appoint Harabin to the post. President-elect Andrej Kiska has already stated that he would not appoint Harabin as chairman of the Supreme Court, as reported by Sme.
Former justice minister Lucia Žitňanská said that she has been expecting Harabin’s candidacy. According to her, the names of his rivals will be important.
“I will be angry if all those who have a chance to propose other trustworthy candidates do not do so,” Žitňanská added, as quoted by Sme.
She also called on Justice Minister Tomáš Borec to choose a good candidate.
Source: Sme, SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
