The Stop Corruption Foundation on Monday sent a letter to Judicial Council chairman Jan Mazak, alerting him that some of those who are slated to select new judges could possibly be facing criminal or at least disciplinary proceedings. "Several people on the list don't have our trust or the trust of the expert public," said foundation director Zuzana Petková. The call was made in the aftermath of a recent series of police raids resulting in the arrests of several judges suspected of corruption, most recently a former vice-chair of the Supreme Court.
After a large process was conducted for the selection of new judges in early September, Judicial Council chairman Jan Mazak looked closely at members of the selection commissions and removed people who were being investigated by police, as well as people whose terms as judge had expired, Judicial Council Office spokesperson Veronika Mueller told TASR press agency on Monday. Mazak described the process of electing new commission members as demanding, stressing that this must not be done with haste. He estimates that there will be new people on the commissions at the beginning of the next year. Meanwhile, among those who meet the necessary criteria, there seem to be few who will agree to involve themselves two or three times a year in the selection process. "These aren't paid jobs, and they happen at the expense of one's regular job," said Mazak.
