Dec 12 (Reuters) – Slovakia’s parliament passed legislation on whistleblowers and crown witnesses late on Thursday and Friday, in moves which the opposition warned threaten the rule of law, and which led to scuffles and angry exchanges between politicians.
Critics of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government say his changes, backed by leftist-nationalist lawmakers, are hurting the rule of law in the country of 5.4 million.
Video footage posted by a lawmaker showed opposition politicians whistling and jeering and heated one-on-one arguments in a Thursday evening vote over criminal codes, including the status of crown witnesses.
One government deputy threw a plastic bottle at an opponent, while news website Dennik N said journalists heard another deputy screaming he was being choked in the melee.
On Friday, lawmakers returned to their benches and ruling parties approved a revamp of the country’s whistleblower office, even though President Peter Pellegrini had vetoed the law on Thursday, which he said risked halting EU subsidies, and did not need to be rushed.
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Fico’s government, in power since 2023, had previously weakened criminal codes for financial crime, revamped the public broadcaster and pushed constitutional changes asserting national sovereignty over some EU laws, prompting criticism.
The government argues the current whistleblower agency UOO had been politically abused in the past – the same reasoning Fico has used for previous legislative...
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