Court Halts Part Of Fico's Controversial Criminal Law Reform

Slovakia's Constitutional Court has halted part of PM Robert Fico's controversial criminal law reform, in particular the abolition of the special prosecutor's office. The office dealt with high-level crime and corruption, but Fico's left-wing populist Smer-SD party alleges that the office is biased against its lawmakers. The reform, which was pushed through parliament in a fast-track procedure, was immediately referredto the Constitutional Court by President Zuzana Čaputová.

• Politico reports that initially the reforms "...sharply reduces the penalties for various crimes. Accepting or demanding a bribe over €700,000, for example, falls from the current 10-15 years to 5-10 in the revised law. It also slashes the statute of limitations for major offences..."
• However, following nationwide protests and objections from the EU, on 21 Feb the gov't backtracked on the removal of the statute of limitations and the weakening of whistleblower protections.
• The gov't is likely to come under significant EU scrutiny re: legal reforms. The Fico gov't is viewed by many in Brussels as in the same bracket as Orban's administration in Hungary, without regard for EU rule of law standards.
• The 23 March presidential election could further entrench Fico's power. Incumbent liberal Čaputová has stymied some of Fico's legislative efforts and acted as a rallying point for Slovakia's pro-EU politicians and citizens.
• However, with her decision not to seek a second term Fico ally Peter Pellegrini could take the presidency, liminting the prospect of challenges to more controversial gov't actions, as seen with the criminal law reform court referral.