Changes

In 2002, Parliament passed legislation that created a Judicial Council. This 18-member council, composed of judges, law professors, and other legal experts, is now responsible for the nomination of judges. All judges, except those of the Constitutional Court, are appointed by the president from a list proposed by the Judicial Council. The Council also is responsible for appointing Disciplinary Senates in cases of judicial misconduct.  

In 2002, Parliament passed legislation that created a Judicial Council. This 18-member council, composed of judges, law professors, and other legal experts, is now responsible for the nomination of judges. All judges, except those of the Constitutional Court, are appointed by the president from a list proposed by the Judicial Council. The Council also is responsible for appointing Disciplinary Senates in cases of judicial misconduct.  

On the eve of the 2023 elections, [[CNBC]] reported "Fico and his party have more recently embraced socially [[conservative]], [[nationalist]] and anti-[[immigration]] rhetoric, and his stance on [[Ukraine]] has been extreme compared to his EU counterparts...That has included blaming “[[Ukrainian Nazi]]s and [[fascist]]s” for the start of the direct [[Donbas war|conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2014]]; accusing Slovakia’s president of being a U.S. agent; describing the EU as a “war machine under the influence of the USA”, and arguing weapons deliveries to Ukraine have undermined Slovak [[sovereignty]]".<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/29/robert-fico-slovakias-election-could-further-fracture-ukraine-support-.html A populist leader, sympathetic to Putin’s Russia, could be about to win elections in Slovakia], Jenni Reid, CNBC, SEP 29 20231</ref>  Fico and his party won election on the slogan, "Not a single round" in ammunition to Ukraine feeding NATO and the Western powers' warmongering bloodlust. American election meddling in a "sovereign, democratic state" failed to prevent Fico's win.<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/american-meddling-failed-to-prevent American Meddling Failed To Prevent Robert Fico’s Victory In The Latest Slovak Elections], ANDREW KORYBKO, OCT 1, 2023</ref>

On the eve of the 2023 elections, [[CNBC]] reported "Fico and his party have more recently embraced socially [[conservative]], [[nationalist]] and anti-[[immigration]] rhetoric, and his stance on [[Ukraine]] has been extreme compared to his EU counterparts...That has included blaming “[[Ukrainian Nazi]]s and [[fascist]]s” for the start of the direct [[Donbas war|conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2014]]; accusing Slovakia’s president of being a U.S. agent; describing the EU as a “war machine under the influence of the USA”, and arguing weapons deliveries to Ukraine have undermined Slovak [[sovereignty]]".<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/29/robert-fico-slovakias-election-could-further-fracture-ukraine-support-.html A populist leader, sympathetic to Putin’s Russia, could be about to win elections in Slovakia], Jenni Reid, CNBC, SEP 29 20231</ref>  Fico and his party won election on the slogan, "Not a single round" in ammunition to Ukraine feeding NATO and the Western powers' warmongering bloodlust. American election meddling in a "sovereign, democratic state" failed to prevent Fico's win.<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/american-meddling-failed-to-prevent American Meddling Failed To Prevent Robert Fico’s Victory In The Latest Slovak Elections], ANDREW KORYBKO, OCT 1, 2023</ref> Fico immediately announced, "My people have bigger problems than Ukraine. We will do everything we can to start peace negotiations as quickly as possible. Further killing does not benefit anyone."

=== Principal Government Officials ===

=== Principal Government Officials ===