JUDGE Dušan Čimo, who was recalled by the parliament from his Judicial Council post earlier this week, was promptly replaced by Judge Ján Slovinský from the Spišská Nová Ves district court.
Slovinský garnered 80 votes from the 80 MPs present in the parliament on September 11, the Sme daily reported. Only MPs of the ruling Smer party were present at the vote.
Slovinský was the only candidate for the post. The opposition criticised the short deadline for offering nominations, as Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška only left them with 24 hours to propose candidates. Opposition MPs were also critical of the fact that Slovinský agreed to his nomination even before the opposition learned that Čimo was to be sacked, Sme wrote.
Slovinský as the new council member will participate in the critical Judicial Council session slated for September 16 where the new vote on the Supreme Court president as well as Judicial Court chair is on the agenda.
The proposal to recall Čimo from the post was submitted by Smer MP and deputy speaker of parliament Jana Laššáková one week before the second round of the vote for the new Supreme Court president without specifying any reason.
The opposition has criticised the dismissal, calling it a backstage game by Smer, a witch-hunt and a deliberate effort by Smer to secure votes for the upcoming election for the new Supreme Court and Judicial Council head, the SITA newswire wrote.
Source: Sme, SITA
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
