BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) 鈥 Slovakia鈥檚 highest legal authority on Wednesday ruled that key provisions of a contentious amendment of the penal code drafted by the government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are in line with the country鈥檚 constitution.
The , faced sharp criticism at home and abroad. Thousands of Slovaks in protests that spread from the capital, Bratislava, to more than 30 cities and towns 鈥 and even abroad.
Fico, who is recovering at home from multiple wounds he suffered in an , welcomed the ruling. He said in a statement his coalition government claimed 鈥渁 100:0鈥 victory over its critics and asked them, including former President Zuzana 膶aputov谩, the opposition, media and non-governmental organizations to apologize for their protests and what he called 鈥渆xpressions of hate.鈥
In its decision, the Constitutional Court said the changes 鈥 including handling serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism 鈥 do not violate the constitution. Those cases will be taken over by prosecutors in regional offices, which have not dealt such cases for the past 20 years.
The changes also include reduced sentences for corruption and some other crimes, and the possibility of suspended sentences as well as a significant shortening of the statute of limitations.
The European Parliament had questioned Slovakia鈥檚 ability to fight corruption if the changes were adopted. European officials said Slovakia鈥檚 plans threaten the protection of the European Union鈥檚 financial interests and its anti-corruption framework.
Still, Fico's ruling coalition fast-tracked the changes in Parliament, bypassing reviews by experts and others typically involved in the process, and limited the time for parliamentary debate. A number of people linked to Fico鈥檚 party, including lawmakers, face prosecution in corruption scandals.
膶aputov谩 and opposition parties challenged the amendment at the Constitutional Court, saying it could jeopardize the rule of law.
膶aputov谩's successor, Peter Pellegrini, a close ally of Fico, said he 鈥渇ully respects鈥 the court's verdict.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time last year after his leftist party Smer, or Direction, won , after campaigning on a .
His critics worry Slovakia could abandon its pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under .
