Another country may lose billions from the EU. Brussels warns Slovakia

The European Parliament held a debate on the state of the rule of law in Slovakia on Wednesday. It had a turbulent course. The left side of the House and its center accused Robert Fico's government of violating the rule of law, violating EU regulations and adopting regulations favoring corruption; the right side accused the EU of constantly attacking right-wing governments.

The debate was voted on by the Slovak Parliament at the end of last year a controversial reform assuming the liquidation of the independent Whistleblower Protection Office and replacing it with a new institution. The move was criticized by Brussels as contrary to the EU's whistleblower directive, and the European Commission initiated infringement proceedings against Slovakia. The entry into force of the new law was suspended by the Constitutional Court of Slovakia, which will check its compliance with the constitution.

Brussels was also concerned previous decisions of the Slovak government, including the introduction into the constitution of provisions on the existence of only two genders – female and male, and provisions favoring corruption, such as reducing penalties for corruption crimes and liquidating the Special Prosecutor's Office investigating high-level corruption crimes.

Michael McGrath, the EU Commissioner for the Rule of Law, who took part in the debate, admitted that the EC is conducting and intends to conduct a dialogue with Slovakia and that some of the talks have brought positive results, such as changes in the judge evaluation system. However, the Commissioner pointed out that the EC had also identified several risk areas regarding the rule of law in Slovakia, including the already mentioned closure of special bodies to fight corruption and limiting the independence of the media. – Amendments introduced to the constitution are also a cause for concern, especially those undermining the primacy of EU law over national law, he said.

Marilena Raouna, Cyprus's deputy minister for European affairs, speaking during the debate on behalf of the member states, said she hoped that the EC's dialogue with Slovakia would soon bring concrete results. She also recalled that if the actions of an EU country threaten the interests of the Union, the Union may apply the conditionality mechanism and suspend EU funds.

European People's Party (EPP) MP Michał Wawrykiewicz (KO) said that since 2023 there has been a deterioration of the rule of law situation in Slovakia. He pointed out that Fico's government activated the Benes decrees dating back to World War II, allowing the expropriation of people of German and Hungarian originand punished anyone who criticized the decrees with six months' imprisonment.

– This violates the legal order of the European Union and our values ​​- said Wawrykiewicz, adding that he encourages the European Commission to look into these matters.

Slovak liberal Ludovit Odor appealed to MEPs not to equate Slovakia with its Prime Minister Fico. – Slovaks are already fed up with his actions. We want decisive steps from the EU, we can still stop these senseless laws, he said.

Slovak MP Miriam Lexmann (EPP) admitted that the government weakened the rule of law by abolishing the Special Prosecutor's Office and the Whistleblower Protection Office.

Meanwhile, Milan Uhrik from the far right concluded that it is “perverse” that Slovakia is being attacked in the European Parliament. – Who is to investigate corruption in Slovakia? PE? Here, thief sits on thief, he said.

European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) MP Tobiasz Bocheński (PiS) described the EU as a “political hammer”, constantly attacking right-wing governments, whether in Slovakia, Hungary or Poland. – A right-wing government appears and is immediately accused of breaking the law, not being democratic and lacking the basic rules typical of European civilization – said the politician.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)

jowi/mal/