Slovakian parliament votes on new attorney general in latest chapter of continuing dispute over post

Slovak Parliament voted in a new attorney general despite an on-going controversy concerning President Ivan Gasparovic’s refusal to appoint previously elected candidate Jozef Centes, the Slovakian media reported, June 18.

“The new attorney general, provided the President likes the choice – something that is almost guaranteed this time round – will be Jaromir Ciznar, the candidate of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s standalone government,” internet news portal The Daily.SK wrote.

Centes was elected for the post of attorney general in 2010. He has not yet taken the post, however, due to a lack of support from the President. Gasparovic refused to undersign the decision despite a Constitutional Court ruling demanding that he accept Centes’ nomination. It is widely thought that the President’s refusal was due to a lack of support for Centes from Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The cat-and-mouse game played between Gasparovic and Centes led to formal protests sent from each party to the constitutional court and a consequent freezing of the dispute. Meanwhile, Slovakia has not had an attorney general for the last two years.

The most recent parliamentary vote, which the media calls a ‘Smer-SD’ party vote, was taken despite the fact that the issue has not been resolved by the constitutional court.

“The whole two-year saga is rife with crony practices and brings into question once again the whole system of democracy in the country,” The Daily.SK, wrote.

Ciznar has announced that he will not accept the post if it transpires that he would be breaking the law by doing so.