Thousands of Slovaks protest against the government of Robert Fico
The New Voice of Ukraine
Wed, December 20, 2023
Protests in Slovakia against the government of Robert Fico, December 19, 2023
Thousands of Slovaks have come out in protest of changes to the criminal code proposed by the newly-elected government of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico, AP News reported on Dec. 19.
Read also: Slovak PM rejects military aid for Ukraine, advocates decade-long peace talks
The protest centered around the government's plan to eliminate a specialized prosecutor's office tackling bribery, organized crime, and extremism by mid-January. Instead, these functions would be passed to regional prosecutors, where prosecutors without experience in these crimes would take charge.
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
Michal Simchka, the leader of Progressive Slovakia, a popular opposition party, voiced concerns that these alterations would result in "an amnesty for the mafia and corrupt individuals."
Read also: Slovak government led by Fico rejects EUR 40 million new military aid package for Ukraine
"We must show them that we will defend justice,” Simchka declared.
While the proposed changes have not yet been passed by Slovakia’s parliament, the anti-Fico protests have been gaining steam since Dec. 7, when citizens first took to the streets of Bratislava.
Read also: Slovakia formally accuses Russia of trying to influence election through disinformation
Critics of Fico fears that his election may prompt Slovakia to shift away from its pro-Western trajectory, potentially aligning more closely with Hungary under the leadership of pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The New Voice of Ukraine
Wed, December 20, 2023
Protests in Slovakia against the government of Robert Fico, December 19, 2023
Thousands of Slovaks have come out in protest of changes to the criminal code proposed by the newly-elected government of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico, AP News reported on Dec. 19.
Read also: Slovak PM rejects military aid for Ukraine, advocates decade-long peace talks
The protest centered around the government's plan to eliminate a specialized prosecutor's office tackling bribery, organized crime, and extremism by mid-January. Instead, these functions would be passed to regional prosecutors, where prosecutors without experience in these crimes would take charge.
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
Michal Simchka, the leader of Progressive Slovakia, a popular opposition party, voiced concerns that these alterations would result in "an amnesty for the mafia and corrupt individuals."
Read also: Slovak government led by Fico rejects EUR 40 million new military aid package for Ukraine
"We must show them that we will defend justice,” Simchka declared.
While the proposed changes have not yet been passed by Slovakia’s parliament, the anti-Fico protests have been gaining steam since Dec. 7, when citizens first took to the streets of Bratislava.
Read also: Slovakia formally accuses Russia of trying to influence election through disinformation
Critics of Fico fears that his election may prompt Slovakia to shift away from its pro-Western trajectory, potentially aligning more closely with Hungary under the leadership of pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Associated Press
Tue, December 19, 2023
Newly appointed Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico arrives for a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, Oct. 25, 2023. On Wednesday Dec. 6, 2023, Slovakia's new government, of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, approved an amendment of the country's penal code to cancel the special prosecutor's office that deals with most serious crimes and corruption. The move has been been criticized by President Zuzana Caputova, the opposition and no-governmental organisation who say it will harm the rule of law in the country.
(AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands returned to the streets of major cities across Slovakia on Tuesday to continue their protests against a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to amend the country’s penal code.
The changes proposed by the coalition government include a proposal to abolish the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism by mid-January.
According to the proposal, those cases will now be taken over by prosecutors in regional offices, which haven’t dealt with such crimes for 20 years.
Michal Simecka, head of the liberal Progressive Slovakia, the strongest opposition party, said the changes “would result in amnesty for mafia and corrupt people.”
“We have to show them that we’ll defend justice,” Simecka said.
Meanwhile in the streets people repeatedly chanted "We’ve had enough of Fico.”
The legislation approved by Fico’s government needs parliamentary and presidential approval. The three-party coalition has a majority in parliament.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time after his scandal-tainted leftist party won Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.
His critics worry that his return could lead Slovakia to abandon its pro-Western course and instead follow the direction of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Since Fico’s government came to power, some elite investigators and police officials who deal with top corruption cases have been dismissed or furloughed. The planned changes in the legal system also include a reduction in punishments for corruption.
Under the previous government, which came to power in 2020 after campaigning on an anti-corruption ticket, dozens of senior officials, police officers, judges, prosecutors, politicians and businesspeople linked to Fico’s party have been charged and convicted of corruption and other crimes.
The protests have been gaining steam since Dec. 7, when people took to the streets of Bratislava.
Organizers said Tuesday that rallies took place in Kosice, Presov, Poprad, Banska Bystrica, Zilina, Nitra, Trnava, Trencin, Spisska Nova Ves, Liptovsky Mikulas and Povazska Bystrica.
Thousands of Slovaks continue protesting government's criminal law reforms
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands returned to the streets of major cities across Slovakia on Tuesday to continue their protests against a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to amend the country’s penal code.
The changes proposed by the coalition government include a proposal to abolish the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism by mid-January.
According to the proposal, those cases will now be taken over by prosecutors in regional offices, which haven’t dealt with such crimes for 20 years.
Michal Simecka, head of the liberal Progressive Slovakia, the strongest opposition party, said the changes “would result in amnesty for mafia and corrupt people.”
“We have to show them that we’ll defend justice,” Simecka said.
Meanwhile in the streets people repeatedly chanted "We’ve had enough of Fico.”
The legislation approved by Fico’s government needs parliamentary and presidential approval. The three-party coalition has a majority in parliament.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time after his scandal-tainted leftist party won Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.
His critics worry that his return could lead Slovakia to abandon its pro-Western course and instead follow the direction of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Since Fico’s government came to power, some elite investigators and police officials who deal with top corruption cases have been dismissed or furloughed. The planned changes in the legal system also include a reduction in punishments for corruption.
Under the previous government, which came to power in 2020 after campaigning on an anti-corruption ticket, dozens of senior officials, police officers, judges, prosecutors, politicians and businesspeople linked to Fico’s party have been charged and convicted of corruption and other crimes.
The protests have been gaining steam since Dec. 7, when people took to the streets of Bratislava.
Organizers said Tuesday that rallies took place in Kosice, Presov, Poprad, Banska Bystrica, Zilina, Nitra, Trnava, Trencin, Spisska Nova Ves, Liptovsky Mikulas and Povazska Bystrica.
Thousands of Slovaks continue protesting government's criminal law reforms
Radovan Stoklasa
Tue, December 19, 2023 at 12:43 PM MST·2 min read
Protest against the government's plan to scrap special prosecutor's office, in Bratislava
BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Slovakia's capital on Tuesday as protests grew against plans of Prime Minister Robert Fico's government to fast-track criminal law changes that include scrapping a special prosecutor's office focused on corruption.
Opposition parties led protests in cities around the central European country of 5.4 million for a third straight week, with protesters in Bratislava waving Slovak and European Union flags and chanting "Enough of Fico".
Dennik N news website said 15,000 to 18,000 protested, up from 10,000 a week ago.
The new government, in power since October, is seeking to speed through proposals in parliament that include scrapping a special prosecutor's office for high-profile graft cases, limiting protection of whistleblowers and reducing sentences for financial crimes.
The European Commission has warned it will take action against Slovakia if it violates EU laws.
Opposition parties have promised to do all they can to block the reform plans.
"(The government is) underestimating us," Michal Simecka, head of the biggest opposition party in parliament, Progressive Slovakia, told the crowd.
"We have to show them they are wrong. We have to show them that we are defending justice and democracy, even in the winter, even before Christmas."
Patrik Kamencay, 25, said he joined the protest because he does not like how Slovakia looked in the EU.
"The government comes with big promises about... how it will improve the lives of citizens," he said. "And the first thing it does is try to distort the criminal procedure and abolish the special prosecutor's office."
Fico, a four-time premier who resigned in 2018 amid mass protests against corruption that followed the murder of an investigative journalist, has accused the special prosecutor's office of being politically motivated and has said its actions violated human rights.
The government had sought to enact the legislation by Christmas but government officials have said a vote could shift to January.
The government has set out several changes in its first few months in office that have irked the opposition, activists and others.
A group of press freedom organisations said this month plans to cut funding to state broadcaster RTVS and divide the group into radio and television units would undermine its independence and threaten media freedom.
On Monday, the heads of the anti-monopoly and healthcare regulatory watchdogs appealed in an open letter to the government and lawmakers against planned legislative changes affecting the selection of future chairs to their offices that would make "them dependent on the political will of the government".
(Reporting by Radovan Stoklasa in Bratislava and Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Josie Kao)
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