THE FAILED attempt of incumbent Supreme Court head Štefan Harabin to be re-elected could be the beginning of the long-sought-after change in the Slovak judiciary, President-elect Andrej Kiska stated on May 20, as reported by the TASR newswire.
"Yesterday['s vote] translates into a chance for a good chair of the Supreme Court," TASR quoted Kiska as saying, alluding to the vote held on May 19, in which none of the candidates for the post, including Harabin, and his challengers Jana Bajánková and Zuzana Ďurišová, were elected, having failed to garner a majority of Judicial Council member votes. None of the candidates can run again in the following election, which is set to be held within 120 days.
"I also appreciate the efforts of all those who didn't remain silent and thus helped ensure that the judiciary won't be cemented in an era in which it represents one of the causes underlying the immense mistrust of people with respect to the running of the state in Slovakia," wrote Kiska.
Kiska at the same time added that this is only the first step, and what should follow now is thorough and lasting change, which can be also overseen by a new Supreme Court chair.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
