Slovak Protests Escalate Over Penal Code Amendments

Government's plan to abolish special prosecutors' office sparks widespread dissent, amid fears of amnesty for corrupt individuals.

Thousands of Slovaks continue to protest against the government's plan to amend the country's penal code, which includes abolishing the special prosecutors' office that handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism.
The proposed changes would transfer these cases to regional offices, which haven't dealt with such crimes for 20 years.
Opposition parties and protesters argue that these changes would result in amnesty for mafia and corrupt individuals.
Prime Minister Robert Fico's government, which came to power on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform, needs parliamentary and presidential approval for these changes.
Since Fico's government came to power, some elite investigators and police officials dealing with top corruption cases have been dismissed or furloughed.