BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) 鈥 Thousands of people on Thursday joined growing street protests across Slovakia against a plan by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to amend the penal code and eliminate a national prosecutors' office.
The proposed changes have faced sharp criticism at home and abroad.
The plan approved by Fico鈥檚 coalition government includes , which handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism. Those cases would be taken over by prosecutors in regional offices, which haven鈥檛 dealt with such crimes for 20 years.
The planned changes also include a reduction in punishments for corruption and some other crimes, including the possibility of suspended sentences, and a significant shortening of the statute of limitations.
Thursday鈥檚 protests took place in two dozens of cities and towns, including the capital, and spread also to Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, Krakow in Poland and Paris.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not ready to give up,鈥 Michal 艩ime膷ka, who heads the liberal Progressive Slovakia, the strongest opposition party, told the big crowd that filled the central SNP square in Bratislava.
鈥淲e will step up our pressure,鈥 艩ime膷ka said. ''We will defend justice and freedom in our country,鈥 he said.
鈥淢afia, mafia鈥 and 鈥淔ico mobster,鈥 people chanted.
Earlier Thursday, the ruling coalition voted to use a fast-track parliamentary procedure to approve the changes. That means the draft legislation won鈥檛 be reviewed by experts and others usually involved in the common legislative procedures.
The coalition also voted to limit the discussion in the first of the three parliamentary readings. The opposition condemned the move.
鈥淭hey decided to silence us in Parliament but they won鈥檛 silence you all,鈥 艩ime膷ka said.
The second reading, in which changes could possibly be made to the draft legislation, could take place next Wednesday while the final vote is possible by the end of next week.
President Zuzana 膶aputov谩 said the proposed changes jeopardize the rule of law and cause 鈥渦npredictable鈥 damage to society.
Also, the European Parliament has questioned Slovakia鈥檚 ability to fight corruption if the changes are adopted. The European Public Prosecutor鈥檚 Office has said Slovakia鈥檚 plans threaten the protection of the EU鈥檚 financial interests and its anti-corruption framework.
膶aputov谩 said she is willing to bring a constitutional challenge of the legislation. It鈥檚 unclear how the Constitutional Court might rule.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time after his scandal-tainted leftist party won on a .
A number of people linked to the party face prosecution in corruption scandals.
Fico鈥檚 critics worry his return could lead Slovakia to abandon its pro-Western course and instead follow the direction of Hungary under .
___
Follow AP's Europe coverage at
