Slovakia limits public gatherings, grants lifetime salary to Fico

The Slovak parliament passed on Thursday (June 27) the so-called “Lex Assassination”, a widely criticised package of measures that the ruling coalition claims should improve the security situation in Slovakia following the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Among the various measures introduced by Lex Assassination, which will take effect on 15 July, are new grounds for disallowing, prohibiting, or cancelling public gatherings.

Under the new rules, assemblies in front of homes will be banned. Gatherings may also be prohibited if they are set to occur near the home of a person whose profession or position is directly related to the purpose of the gathering.

Other reasons cited for banning gatherings include potential infringement on people’s right to privacy and the peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Rallies should also be avoided if there is a risk of clashes between participants in multiple competing events.

Among others, Amnesty International immediately criticised the new restrictions.

“This bill portrays public gatherings or protests as a threat to public order and safety. Instead of facilitating the right to protest, the government has decided to curtail it,” warned Radoslav Sloboda, director of the charity’s Slovak branch.

The new legislation also says the top three state officials – the president, speaker of parliament and prime minister – should be granted the right to an “appropriately equipped” accommodation provided by the interior ministry.

Moreover, parliament speakers and prime ministers serving more than two full electoral terms would be entitled to a lifetime salary and bodyguards.

This point was criticised as being made specifically for incumbent Prime Minister Robert Fico, the only Slovak politician who fits the description.

Lex Assassination also introduces security staff for all parliamentary party leaders, the President of Slovakia’s Constitutional Court and the Prosecutor General.

Fears of a police state

The legislation has faced severe backlash, and the ruling coalition had to retreat from several proposals that were questioned by the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Public Defender of Rights, and the Slovak Association of Towns and Communities (ZMOS).

During a debate (22 June) on RTVS radio, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer-SD) said that Lex Assassination will improve security in Slovakia.

Regarding the lifetime salary to Fico, he claimed that the law was written in general terms and did not mention any specific name.

“We have this custom in the case of the president, so I don’t see why it could not be the case for prime ministers who have been in office for a long time,” Kaliňák argued.

Mária Kolíková, former Justice Minister and an opposition MP from the liberal SaS party, opposed Kaliňák’s claims and voiced her fears of “a police state”.

“Lex Assassination, as it was presented, was sewn with a hot needle and paved the way for a police state. It has nothing to do with improving security. It was a mistake not to sit down at a common round table”, Kolíková concluded.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)

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