Slovakia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the chairman of the Supreme Court, Štefan Harabin, violated the constitutional right to a fair hearing in a case involving Tatiana Polka, the wife of Žilina-based judge Pavol Polka, who had contested the fact that out of three judges randomly picked by Slovakia’s electronic system, only one was involved in deciding her case, the Hospodárske noviny daily wrote in its August 9 issue.
Polková demanded a non-material damage award and her suit had already been approved by lower-instance courts. The Supreme Court had previously halted the paying of the damage award with a preliminary injunction, the economic daily wrote.
The Supreme Court senate which decided in this matter had a different composition than the one chosen by the electronic system. The Constitutional Court ruled that Harabin had re-divided several court senates that had already been assigned to specific cases and ruled that these actions were arbitrary and violated Slovakia’s Constitution and applicable law.
The Constitutional Court did not assess any specific punishment against Harabin. Harabin already faces a reduction of salary of 70 percent for one year for not permitting auditors from the Finance Ministry to review the financial accounts of the Supreme Court.
Source: Hospodárske noviny
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
