On Wednesday the Slovak Parliament voted to approve an amendment to the constitution that introduces changes to the judiciary and protects marriage. The amendment from the workroom of the governing SMER-SD party and the opposition Christian Democrats party separates the post of the Supreme Court President and the post of Judicial Council Chairman.
The President of the Supreme Court will not automatically become a member of the Judicial Council. The council's 18 members will be selected by Parliament, Government and President, three members each, while judges will select the remaining nine members. The President will have the final say in appointing and dismissing judges. The Judicial Council’s chairman will be able to contest laws concerning the performance of judicial power at the Constitutional Court. Moreover the amendment introduces across-the-board security clearances of judges and judges will lose their immunity from criminal prosecution.
The other part of the constitution amendment is the newly approved wording of the constitution saying that marriage is a unique union between a man and a woman and the Slovak Republic gives it all protection. Referring to the approved changes, Prime Minister Chairman Robert Fico views them as a big occasion, as it's difficult to attain a constitutional majority. Fico claims the bill is a launching pad for reforms in the judiciary and beyond.
