The court’s verdict, announced in Bratislava, steadfast that the proposed amendments violated the constitutional principle of the rule of law.Specifically, the changes would have shortened the statute of limitations for certain offenses, potentially allowing perpetrators to avoid prosecution after a specified period, even for heinous crimes.The ruling effectively blocks the implementation of the revised penal code, which had sparked widespread protests and international concern.

The contested amendments, submitted to Parliament in early November, aimed to reduce the statute of limitations for crimes punishable by 10 years or more in prison from 20 to 10 years, and for particularly serious crimes from 25 to 15 years. Critics argued this would create a legal loophole benefiting individuals accused of past offenses,including those linked to financial fraud and corruption. the proposed changes were particularly controversial regarding crimes committed before 2011,potentially impacting investigations into high-profile cases.

The Constitutional Court’s decision was prompted by a collective appeal filed by 54 opposition Members of Parliament,led by Michal Šimečka of the Progressive Slovakia party,and President Zuzana Čaputová. the appeal argued the changes would undermine the state’s ability to effectively prosecute serious crimes and would violate victims’ rights to justice. President Čaputová had previously voiced strong opposition to the proposed changes, stating they would weaken the fight against crime and impunity.

The government, a coalition of Smer-SD, Hlas-SD, and the Slovak National Party, maintained the changes were necessary to streamline the judicial system and reduce the backlog of cases. Justice Minister Tomáš Korenko, a key proponent of the amendments, argued they would bring Slovak law in line with practices in other European countries. however, legal experts and opposition parties countered that the proposed reductions were excessively lenient and would significantly hinder law enforcement efforts.

The ruling comes amid heightened political tensions in Slovakia following Fico’s return to power in October 2023. Fico’s previous governments (2006-2010 and 2012-2018) were marked by controversies related to corruption and the independence of the judiciary. The current government’s attempts to reform the penal code have been widely seen as an effort to protect allies implicated in past scandals. The european Commission has also expressed concerns about the rule of law in Slovakia, warning that the proposed changes could jeopardize the country’s access to EU funds.

The Constitutional court’s decision is final and binding. The government now faces the prospect of either revising the proposed amendments to address the court’s concerns or abandoning the overhaul altogether. The ruling is expected to have a significant impact on the political landscape in Slovakia and will likely fuel further debate over the future of the country’s justice system. According to data from the Slovak statistics Office,the conviction rate for serious crimes in Slovakia has remained relatively stable at around 35% over the past five years,raising questions about the effectiveness of the current legal framework.