Constitutional Court suspends effect of 50-day moratoriums

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended the effect of the ban on publishing public opinion polls 50 days prior to election days. With this decision, the court thereby upheld President Zuzana Čaputová's motion challenging the ban. In the past, moratoriums on election polls in Slovakia have begun 14 days prior to elections, but the Parliament in late October voted to extend the period to 50 days. The president, who saw her veto of this legislation overridden by Parliament, warned that the motion could affect the ongoing election campaign and ultimately even the election results. The plenary of the Constitutional Court on Wednesday also approved the president's proposal for further proceedings during which the legislation should be examined to decide whether it is in line with the Constitution or not. The 50-day moratorium ban will therefore not be applicable for the general elections taking place at the end of February 2020. "I view today's decision by the Constitutional Court as a positive step for the benefit of the public's right to be informed as well as the fairness of the ongoing election campaign," stated the president. The senior governing Smer-SD party, which proposed the prolonged moratorium, accepts the Constitutional Court's decision, reiterating that the aim of their proposal was to prevent the spread of misinformation and negative influence on the public opinion.