The Public Health Office violated the law with two of its directives, Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka reported on Thursday. The directive issued by the Chief Hygienist on December 27, 2020 allowed lawmakers to deliberate in Parliament despite the fact that a number of them had tested positive for COVID-19 or had been in touch with an infected person in quarantine. Another violation of the law came with the directive dated from January 10, 2021, as the Public Health Office is not authorized to grant exemptions from mandatory quarantine for individuals in special cases. "By instituting the exemptions, the Public Health Office overstepped the scope of its powers and went beyond what the law allows," stated Zilinka.
In December, lawmakers deliberated on the extension of the emergency state under unorthodox conditions, with the COVID-19 positive MPs separated from the rest by a plastic film and using a separate point of entry. Parliament was also equipped with germicidal lamps and legislators wore respirators. The directive also allowed exemptions for the President, Government ministers, lawmakers or Prosecutor-General to work also if they tested positive for COVID-19, under strict epidemiological measures, if their absence at the workplace would gravely jeopardise the running of the state.
Coalition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Alojz Baranik on Thursday pointed to the fact that the decrees of the Public Health Office that Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka deemed earlier in the day to be unlawful would remain binding and in effect, unless they are scrapped.
"As we haven't heard or seen an exact explanation of the prosecutor-general's claims, it's difficult for us to comment on the justification of these claims," said Baranik. He noted in this regard that the Government and Parliament have been confronted with an unprecedented situation in the form of the coronavirus pandemic. According to him, it's always possible to criticise any solutions to the situation.
The opposition Smer-SD party acknowledges the statement by Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka and will wait to see what kind of action the Prosecutor-General's Office decides to take, Smer-SD chair Robert Fico stated on Thursday. He added that COVID-19 positive lawmakers who attended parliamentary session on December 28, 2020, violated the law.
Source: TASR
