Created: Bratislava, October 3, 2023; Updated: October 20, 2023
As you may have
heard, a parliamentary election recently took place in Slovakia.
Many clients have been asking us about any potential implications it may have
on the citizenship program and/or their individual cases/applications (both
pending and upcoming).
The composition of
the Slovak parliament, which was the election's outcome, is definitely
relevant. However, the negotiations surrounding coalition formation are of
paramount importance. Any coalition formed will have the majority of seats in
Parliament, giving them the power to compose the Slovak Government/Cabinet.
This includes a major say over vital governmental figures, such as the Prime
Minister and the Members of the Cabinet.
One of the Cabinet Ministers will lead the Ministry of Internal Affairs and be responsible for the
citizenship agenda. Do note that the Ministry has many responsibilities in
other vital areas, such as managing the entirety of the Police Force.
Said management includes elite criminal investigation units and other units,
such as those designed to fight illegal immigration. Given these circumstances,
it is difficult to imagine that changing citizenship policies would be the
Government’s priority, regardless of who becomes the new Minister of Internal
Affairs.
It's important to note that all legal proceedings are governed by law, not the Minister’s discretion. While the Ministry may propose policy changes, they must first pass through the Cabinet (with approval from the majority of the Ministers) and undergo three parliamentary hearings. The draft bill must then be approved by the majority of the Parliament and subsequently signed by the President. Only then does the law change, and all authorities, including the Ministry and its officers, must adhere to it. This process ensures the predictability and reliability of the legal system.
In addition,
legislative changes do not typically impact ongoing processes started before
the change was adopted. Therefore, any proceedings initiated under the current
law will most likely run and finish under the rules applicable before the
legislative change.
This message aims to inform our potential clients that there is no reason to
panic or worry about the election's outcome. As explained above, many steps must occur before any legislative change is
implemented, and nothing indicates that worsening citizenship policies would be
on the to-do list of a government that doesn’t even exist yet.
Lastly, we appreciate your interest in the Slovak political scene and very much value your wishes for a better political future in
Slovakia. We understand that Slovakia might become your new/second home, and
we’ll continue doing everything we can to make that a reality, regardless of
who is in political power.
