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Government Approves Bill to Curb Parliamentary Immunity
Thursday 15 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Immunity from prosecution for MPs should be limited to voting and statements made in Parliament, according to a constitutional law proposal and Criminal Code amendment drawn up by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) and okayed by the Government at its extraordinary session on Thursday.
Curbs on immunity should also affect judges, so that immunity will apply only to their rulings. According to the new proposal, criminal prosecutions of MPs could be launched even without Parliament's consent, although the imprisonment of an MP, judge or the Prosecutor-General would still have to be approved by the House.
"The immunity of MPs and judges is a historically proven institution, aimed at guaranteeing the highest possible level of freedom of political discourse in Parliament as well as the security of judges in their decision-making processes. This is the only legitimate goal ensured by this institution," reads Radicova's proposal. She thinks that immunity shouldn't protect MPs and judges from criminal prosecution when it comes to activities that aren't linked to their parliamentary or judicial activities. This should ensure better protection for civil society from abuses of power.
If Parliament approves the amendments to the constitutional law, the changes would be valid as of November 1, 2010. The Coalition with its 79 MPs will need opposition votes as well, however, as the votes of 90 MPs are needed to pass constitutional laws.
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