THE JUDICIAL Council must repeat the election of Slovakia’s candidates for the post of judge of the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) for the third time, the Sme daily reported on October 6.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that will select one of three submitted candidates rejected Slovakia’s list of candidates again due to a lack of respective professional experience on October 3.
Back in December the Judicial Council picked lawyer and pro-dean of the Law Faculty of Comenius University Ondrej Laciak, Slovakia’s representative before the ECHR Marica Pirošíková and judge of the Bratislava III District Court Andrea Krišková. The cabinet then approved the list and Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák was to send it to Strasbourg.
Lajčák several times warned that the candidates may fail and demanded the Judicial Council to revisit its decision.
“I wouldn’t like to expose [our] country to shame by rejection of the list,” Lajčák said back in June, as quoted by Sme, “and I care about the Judicial Council proposing names which government would be able to approve in good conscience.”
The body picked the candidates in December, with Štefan Harabin at is helm. Members of the Judicial Council agreed that it is impossible to cancel the secret ballot, mainly because the Cabinet has approved it adding that it is the cabinet’s turn now. Lajčák thus sent the list to Brussels, according to Sme.
New chairwoman of the Judicial Council Jana Bajánková told Sme that she believes that in the next ballot the Judicial Council will propose the best possible candidates and will be able to set up an unquestionable candidate slate. She also promised to do all she can to make the process more dignified than the last time when Harabin examined the candidates’ knowledge of foreign languages.
(Source: Sme)
Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
