THE NON-governmental organisation Via Iuris has called on Justice Minister Tomáš Borec and Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová to submit a motion to launch a disciplinary proceeding against Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin. The association claims that Harabin violates the law and international rules on judicial behaviour, the SITA newswire reported on January 14.
“He [Harabin] failed in his duty to remain restrained in his public performances, to show politeness, to strengthen the trust of the people in the integrity of the judiciary and to protect the dignity of the judiciary,” said Milan Šagát, statutory of Via Iuris, as quoted by SITA.
Šagát added that such behaviour is unacceptable for a constitutional representative, especially the president of the Supreme Court, as well as the chair of the Judicial Council.
Via Iuris pointed to statements Harabin made during a lecture connected with a discussion at the Pan-European University held in December 2013. During his speech Harabin made offensive remarks directed at several individuals and groups. He, for example, described journalists as “the biggest rabble”, drug users and alcoholics. Regarding the judges of the Specialised Criminal Court, Harabin said they could not even serve as judicial clerks and were only there to earn money, as reported by SITA.
According to Via Iuris, Harabin makes similar statements during sessions of the Judicial Council.
The association considers such statements to be illegal, adding that they can even be classified as a disciplinary offence, SITA wrote.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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