New additions to the Penal Code greenlighted in parliament

A new office under the remit of the Justice Ministry will be established to supervise the confiscation of property, as Parliament approved a bill to that effect on Wednesday. The legislation should also allow the confiscation of property even before the offender in question is convicted by a court, with the law also containing a clause barring offenders' attempts to transfer property to other persons. Other new elements regarded as crimes added to the Penal Code will include the 'bending of law', meaning arbitrary verdicts by judges or arbiters, and so-called 'sweetening', namely luring someone in power with inappropriate gifts and advantages without immediately demanding services in return and the reception of such benefits. Under the new rules, the ratio of votes in which judges voted when handing down verdicts will be made public. The legislation is to come into effect as of January 1, 2021, whereas the new office is to be established as of August 1, 2021.