The legislative proposal on strategic companies approved by the Slovak cabinet on October 28 is unprecedented and politically dangerous, opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) vice-chairman Daniel Lipšic told the TASR newswire on October 29.
Because the KDH believes the draft is at odds with the Constitution, the party is ready to submit a complaint to the Constitutional Court if the bill is passed in parliament, Lipšic said.
According to the draft, if a strategic company has financial trouble and finds itself under the threat of bankruptcy that could have serious consequences for various sectors, the government can intervene. This measure would be aimed at stabilising a company, explained Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek who submitted the proposal.
The minister said that a strategic company is understood to be a company with production which influences other sector in the country or one that does business in the sphere of energy, network industries, waterworks engineering or sewage disposal. Such companies would have more than 500 employees or a have considerable social influence. The cabinet sees the draft as an anti-crisis measure, which - if passed by parliament - will be valid only until the end of 2010.
"This legislative proposal manifestly violates the constitutional right to property," said Lipsic, adding that the act would help speculators and dissuade decent entrepreneurs, with tax-payers footing the bill for dishonest speculation in the end. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
