BRATISLAVA, May 31, (WEBNOVINY) — On Tuesday, deputies of the ruling coalition came closer to reversing the so-called Meciar’s amnesties from the spring of 1998. The constitutional law on reversing some decisions on an amnesty was moved to the second reading by 85 votes, but in order to finally approve the draft, five more votes will be necessary in June. Ninety votes are required to pass a draft constitutional bill. Only Jan Pociatek for the opposition SMER-SD supported the bill, along with all SNS deputies present.
In the past, opposition leader Robert Fico opposed reversing the amnesties saying that even if they are immoral, they must not be reversed, which the European Court for Human Rights confirmed, too. Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic claims that amnesties have been canceled in many countries when they were granted under a dictatorship regime or under dubious circumstances.
This is already the sixth attempt to cancel the amnesties granted by Vladimir Meciar. Meciar, leader of the now non-parliamentary party LS-HZDS and former three-time prime minister, granted amnesties during his brief presidential incumbency to protect unknown perpetrators involved in the case of abduction of former President Michal Kovac’s son to Austria in 1995. Investigators believed that former boss of the Slovak intelligence service SIS Ivan Lexa masterminded the kidnapping.
Ex-spy boss Ivan Lexa, once the most wanted Slovak fugitive, was facing charges of several serious criminal cases including abduction, sabotage, robbery, treason, misuse of power and other white-collar crimes. In addition, he was accused of having ordered the murder of Robert Remias in March 1996 by underworld boss Miroslav Sykora. Ivan Lexa was alleged to have done this to prevent witnesses testifying about Slovak President Michal Kovac’s son’s abduction to Austria in 1995. However, in the most serious charges issued against him Ivan Lexa is shielded by an amnesty granted by Vladimir Meciar.
SITA