127 of 129 deputies present in parliament supported an amendment to the execution law – which primarily governs recovery of unpaid debts – in order to protect state property from being expropriated. The decision came after a recent Constitutional Court ruling which scrapped the state’s immunity from the same laws which apply to everyone else, the SITA newswire reported.
“If the interests of the country [are at stake] we can quickly make an agreement,” said Ľudovík Kaník, an MP for the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), as quoted by SITA.
Several state-owned companies are currently in financial distress, including the public broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), which reportedly owes at least €5 million.
The issue arose after judges of the Constitutional Court found unconstitutional aspects of two laws – on managing state property and on state treasury – which had previously protected state property from seizure.
“Through this the state remained naked, there are no barriers which would restrict the endless [seizure] of state property,” Prime Minister Robert Fico told a press conference held on August 7, as quoted by SITA.
He added that current situation allows executors “to dive after state property right after publishing the ruling in the collections of laws”.
As a countermeasure to the Constitutional Court verdict, the Justice Ministry also prepared a list of state property which is to be protected from execution. The document changes the specification of state property, stating that if the law passes the state will only protect real estate, state budget incomes, money deposited in the account of state-run budgetary organisations, claims, as well as state bonds owned by state and state property operated by the army, SITA wrote.
Source: 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.
