President Zuzana Čaputová vetoed a bill aimed at changing the way in which the Prosecutor-General and Special Prosecutor are selected. President explained that she believes parts of the amendment are unconstitutional and added that if Parliament overrides this veto, she would file a motion with the Constitutional Court.
Čaputová dislikes the new options of recalling Prosecutor-General and Special Prosecutor. In the case of the Special Prosecutor, the bill would allow parliament to do so. President added that everyone has been waiting for the option to improve the Prosecutor's offices. However, she does not agree that the dependence of the institutions on political power should increase
Representatives of the opposition agree with her step. PM Igor Matovič (Ordinary People) did not say whether they would change the law and accept the president's reservations. "We think that she did not understand the essence of the intention of this law, which is to increase the responsibility of the functioning of the prosecutor's office to the European level, "said MP Alojz Baránik of the governing Freedom and Solidarity party.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Juraj Šeliga of the smallest governing For the People party stated that he respects Čaputová's decision. "I will familiarise myself with her legal argumentation and findings in the next few days. After that, I along with other sponsors of the bill will analyse, discuss and consider whether we'll rework the contestable part or hold talks on excluding it," wrote Šeliga in his reaction.
Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollár (We Are Family) stated that he respects the President's decision, claiming that he will probably convene a Parliamentary session to deal with the rejected bills in September. "This means that the vote for a new Prosecutor-General will be a relevant matter as early as in October," stated Kollár.
The term of Prosecutor-General Jaromír Čižnár ended on July 17.
