Illustrative stock photo (source: Sme)
This Legal Code is not functioning properly since the beginning of this year, the Sme daily wrote, adding that only a single law has been published in it in this period, while five more laws are waiting to be published, including an important law on housing loans, to become effective as of March.
The Justice Ministry explains, as quoted by the daily, that the problems have been caused by the transition from a traditional to an electronic system: since the beginning of 2016, the contents of the electronic Legal Code are equal to the paper form. However, the Code itself is still being processed, enhanced and published, also in this transitional period.
Experts warn, however, that if the law is not published by the due date, it cannot be considered valid, and its effectiveness is automatically postponed until the date of publishing.
Although the ministry assures that the transition is going according to plans and all laws will become effective on time, the March deadline is coming near and banks still do not know whether to count on the mortgage law, or not. The point is, Sme writes, that banks should – or should not – already include the lowered fees for premature repayment of loans in their price lists.
Lawyers opine that the current state could be perceived as the state having neglected its basic duties towards its citizens or businesses. They add that the ministry is also lucky, as no regular parliamentary session has taken place since December, which could bring more laws to be passed.
The e-code project has been in the works for three years, and the Justice Ministry has included it into its new legal information portal slovlex.sk.
