AN EXTRAORDINARY session will be convened by parliament on January 29, devoted to the government’s conduct towards Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová, Parliament’s Speaker Pavol Paška decided.
Opposition MPs who initiated the session aim to convey serious concern over the government's conduct at January 8 cabinet session, when Dubovcová was not allowed to speak and was not able to get parliament to discuss the ombudswoman's report on the potential violation of human rights and freedoms of a Roma community during a June 2013 police raid. It is also hoped that the cabinet will be required to do something about the lack of adequate premises for the Ombudswoman's office.
The session was initiated by the People's Party platform. Whether the session will actually take place remains to be seen, however, as at the beginning a vote will be held on the session’s programme, and if it is not supported, it will not be discussed.
At the same time, opposition leaders realise that Smer has a clear majority in parliament and thus may not approve the session’s agenda. Even so, the opposition leaders are convinced that action needs to be taken on these matters.
“Human rights are the basic constitutional principle of our society,” Most-Híd head Béla Bugár said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. “The office of the ombudswoman oversees whether they are observed. The cabinet refused to hear her, and thus pushes Slovakia from the road of democracy to another road.”
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.
