Years of periodic efforts to repeal the criminal immunity of members of parliament looks set to end in success. The Slovak Parliament on Thursday, June 28, for the first time found a consensus across the political spectrum for the step and the abolition of penal immunity was passed to its second reading, winning the support of 140 of the 141 deputies present in the 150-member parliament. The follow-up amendment to the Penal Code was supported by all 141 MPs present.
After their criminal immunity is cancelled, MPs will retain immunity only for statements made in parliament and for their votes there – this will continue even after the end of their mandate.
The change will not influence the judges of the Constitutional Court, as their criminal immunity remains, the SITA newswire wrote. According to the approved amendments, MPs should lose their criminal immunity on September 1, after the final adoption of the drafts expected at the session in July.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
