ALTOGETHER 660 of 1,400 judges have turned to MPs and Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová and asked them to challenge the recently passed measure allowing across-the-board security clearances with the Constitutional Court. The measure will become effective on September 1.
The stance against the clearances was initiated by more than 60 judges from the Bratislava Regional Court. It was also supported by seven plenums of district and regional courts. Also, the plenum of the Supreme Court and the plenum of judges of the Košice Regional Court adopted a similar stance, the SITA newswire reported.
The clearances have already been criticised by the European Association of Judges and the Consultative Council of European Judges at the Council of Europe.
“We kindly ask you to learn about the reasons of the attached documents and consider submitting the proposal,” reads the paper addressed to MPs and Dubovcová, as quoted by SITA.
Dubovcová has already said she will probably turn to the Constitutional Court regarding the clearances. She is currently reading the previous rulings of the court, which prevent her from submitting certain proposals.
“This relates to my proposal to check the compliance of the law on the residence of foreigners with the constitution,” she told the TASR newswire, adding that as soon as she learns whether she is entitled to submit the proposal, she will do it.
The authorities that are able to challenge the law at the Constitutional Court include 30 MPs, the government, the general prosecutor, the president, the public defender of rights and the Judicial Council chair. If the judges opted to solve the problem themselves, it would be too difficult, SITA wrote.
Source: SITA, TASR
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
