The Constitutional Court will be asked to examine Slovakia’s Act on Non-Profit Organisations which became effective February 1, 2010, based on a complaint filed by opposition MPs, Independent MP and Most-Híd party members, Gábor Gál told the TASR newswire on March 16. According to Gál, the complaint has been signed by 43 MPs from the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia (KDS) and Most-Híd. Members of the SMK party did not sign it, he noted.
Gál thinks that the aim of the Act is to nationalise the assets of non-profit organisations and to curb their independence. As an example he mentioned organisations that run several hospitals in Slovakia. According to the Act, which was passed in December 2009, the structure of boards in health care has to correspond with the ratio of state assets invested in such organisations.
As of February, the state can appoint the majority of board members if its investment in the organisation concerned exceeds half of all investments. Gal stated that the majority of the board members of non-profit making organisations have been appointed by the current government.
According to constitutional lawyer Radoslav Procházka (a KDH MP), who will represent the MPs at the Constitutional Court, the Act is at odds with norms guaranteeing the protection of access to ownership rights that guard the boundary lines between the state and the private sector.
The opposition’s opinion is not valid said one of the drafters of the Act, ruling Smer MP Robert Madej. Asked if he was afraid that the Constitutional Court could rule against the Act, Madej said that it wouldn't be correct to comment on its decision. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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