Slovakian president sharply criticizes changes to penal code proposed by populist prime minister

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s president has voiced her strong opposition to a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to overhaul the country’s penal code. Addressing Parliament on Thursday, Zuzana Čaputová said the proposed changes could jeopardize the rule of law and cause “unpredictable” damage to society. The plan approved by Fico’s coalition government includes abolishing the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious crimes such as graft and organized crime. They also include a reduction in punishments for corruption and significantly shorten the statute of limitations. The coalition wants to use a fast-track parliamentary procedure to approve them.