Slovakia Prosecutor General criticizes proposed law on cooperating witnesses

Slovak Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka has expressed strong opposition to a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code regarding cooperating witnesses, known as "kajúcnici". Žilinka described the draft as incomprehensible and raised concerns regarding its constitutionality, warning that it could negatively impact criminal investigations and the work of law enforcement agencies.

The criticism follows a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, which declared parts of a previous amendment unconstitutional because it disproportionately restricted the ability of courts to evaluate evidence.

The proposed legislation, prepared by the Ministry of Justice, seeks to replace current benefits for cooperating accused persons, such as the suspension of charges, with a system of significantly reduced sentences applied during the judicial phase.

The National Council of the Slovak Republic has not yet passed the amendment into its third reading. A vote to move the proposal forward failed to reach a majority, with only 75 out of 150 present members voting in favor. A final vote is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11.