Only the police or those assigned by railway operators will be able to maintain public order on trains and at railway stations as of February, with MPs passing a respective bill on Tuesday (25/10). Justice Minister Lucia Žitňanská (Most-Hid), whose ministry prepared the legislation along with the Interior Ministry, confirmed that the move was in reaction to the activities of the far-right Opposition party Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), which organised patrols on selected passenger trains known to have problems with safety. "Nobody can replace the police in this state or pretend to do so," stated Žitňanská. "Activities aimed at protecting the public in terms of property, life or health can only be carried out by the police or an entity authorised by a railway company," explained Žitňanská, adding that it will be possible to punish those who fail to adhere to the new rules.
Marian Kotleba, the leader of the far-right party, announced the setting up of patrols on trains in April, in response to an attack on a 21-year-old woman that took place on a train heading from Nové Zámky to Zvolen on April 7.
The state-run passenger rail carrier ZSSK had previously issued a new transport regulation forbidding such activities, but the regulation failed to discourage LSNS from its patrols, with the Opposition party announcing that it was expanding them as of the autumn.
"Political entities developing activities simply to give the impression that this state is malfunctioning, thereby allowing them to come up with their own solutions will always seek ways to assert their extremist agenda in society. I have no doubt that if we make one way difficult for them, they will seek other targets. The state's role is to be able to obstruct them constantly," added Žitňanská.
