Progressive Slovakia proposes new criminal offense for disinformation

Members of the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, including Irena Bihariová, Lucia Plaváková, and Oskar Dvořák, have submitted a legislative proposal to the National Council to combat the systematic spread of disinformation.

The proposed amendment to the Criminal Code would introduce a new offense: the “intentional and systematic spreading of false information in the areas of public health protection, constitutional institutions, or state security.” Under the proposed paragraph 361a, individuals found guilty of spreading information they know to be false, which has the potential to cause “serious threats to the life or health of at least part of the population,” could face up to three years in prison.

The proponents argue that such disinformation often acts subversively to undermine trust in state authorities and experts rather than causing immediate panic. The debate highlights the distinction between general misinformation and targeted disinformation regarding sensitive topics such as the war in Ukraine or public health crises.