Slovakian president sharply criticizes changes to penal code proposed by populist prime minister

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s president voiced her strong opposition on Thursday to a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to overhaul the country’s penal code.

In an address to Parliament, President Zuzana Čaputová said the proposed changes could jeopardize the rule of law and cause “unpredictable” damage to society.

“It’s unprecedented for such serious changes in the penal code to take place without a proper legislative process,” Čaputová said.

The plan approved by Fico’s coalition government includes abolishing the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism.

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Those cases would be taken over by prosecutors in regional offices, which haven’t dealt with such crimes for 20 years.

The planned changes also include a reduction in punishments for corruption and some other crimes, including the possibility of suspended sentences, and a significant shortening of the statute of limitations.

The coalition wants to use a fast-track parliamentary procedure to approve them.

Čaputová asked lawmakers to allow a proper review of the proposed changes before approving them.

She spoke a day after the European Parliament questioned Slovakia’s ability to fight corruption and protect the EU budget if the changes are adopted.

The European Public Prosecutor´s Office has also said Slovakia’s plans threaten the protection of the EU’s financial interests and its anti-corruption framework.

The legislation needs parliamentary and presidential approval. The three-party coalition has a majority in Parliament, and Čaputová's expected veto could be overridden by a simple majority.

Čaputová said she is willing to bring a constitutional challenge of the legislation. It’s unclear how the Constitutional Court might rule.

Meanwhile, public protests were planned in the capital and in other major cities and towns as opposition to Fico’s plans spreads across Slovakia.

Fico returned to power for the fourth time after his scandal-tainted leftist party won a Sept. 30 parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.

A number of people linked to the party face prosecution in corruption scandals.

Fico’s 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.