NEW ACT “LEX ASSASSINATION”

#120New Act “Lex Assassination”

On 12.06.2024, the Government of the Slovak Republic approved a new law called Lex assassination, which is a reaction to the assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico. The new law brings changes to several laws and is intended to provide greater security for publicly exposed persons.

The most significant changes in the new law are:

1. Strengthening the protection of politicians and public officials and the associated lifetime protection for the three highest constitutional officials (President, Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament), including their children and family members. The protection also applies to the presidents of political parties and movements represented in the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
2. Adjustment of the scope and conditions of the exercise of the right of assembly, in particular in the area of limitations on its exercise. The prohibition of assemblies in front of the houses of politicians and places where the Government, the President and the Constitutional Court hold their deliberations or have their seat is introduced. In the case of the Constitutional Court, a ban on assembly within a radius of 100 meters applies; in other cases, a ban on assembly within a radius of 50 meters applies. The places of assembly will now be designated in preference to places where a large number of people are generally expected to congregate.
3. Adjustment of the salary ratios of constitutional officials, where a lifetime salary equal to the salary of a member of parliament was introduced for the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament, subject to the condition that they hold office for at least two full, uninterrupted terms. An exception to the lifetime salary entitlement is the performance of another constitutional function where the right to a lifetime salary is suspended by reason of the performance of another constitutional function. The right to a lifetime salary may also lapse if the constitutional official is convicted of a deliberate criminal offence.
4. Amendments to the Offences Act in the area of strengthening the powers of Police Officers for offences committed through electronic communication. An increase in the upper limit of fines for online offences from the previous 99 Euros to 1 000 Euros is also introduced.