Overview

Thousands of people in Slovakia protested against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico following the recent ⁢passage of⁣ amendments to the criminal code. The changes, signed into law by ⁢President Peter ⁤Pellegrini, have sparked concerns about weakening the⁤ fight ⁤against corruption. The Slovak constitutional Court is now set to review the amendments, perhaps striking down⁤ portions deemed unconstitutional.

The Protests

Large-scale protests erupted across Slovakia in response⁤ to the amended criminal code. ‍News reports indicate that thousands participated,⁤ expressing their opposition to the changes and concerns about the rule of law.‍ Novinky.cz reported that these protests involved a⁤ significant ⁢number of citizens voicing ⁤their discontent.

The Amendments and Concerns

⁤ ‍ ⁤ The specific details of the ⁤amendments have raised concerns among legal experts and the public. Critics argue that the changes could lead to reduced penalties for certain crimes,including financial crimes,and potentially allow investigations into corruption to be dropped.
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According to a statement published on Facebook by Žilinka, the ⁢prosecutor’s ‍office’s expert opinion, based on practical submission ⁢in serious criminal cases, ⁢was ‍not considered during‍ the approval process.Žilinka expressed regret that President Pellegrini signed the amendment in ‍its current form.

Constitutional Court ⁣Review

The Slovak Constitutional court is now tasked with reviewing the amendments ‍to determine their constitutionality. ⁣The court has the power ‍to invalidate portions of the‍ law if they are found to be in conflict with the Slovak legal order.This review represents a ‍crucial⁣ step‍ in addressing the concerns⁤ raised by protesters and legal experts.