Slovak Government Approves Third Attempt at Witness Protection Law Changes

Slovakia's government approved amendments to witness protection legislation for the third time, just days before the start of a major court case known as Očistec (Purgatory). The changes affect the legal framework governing cooperating witnesses, commonly referred to as "kajúcnici" (penitents) in Slovak legal terminology. The Očistec case, which is set to begin proceedings in the coming days, involves significant criminal charges that are expected to rely heavily on testimony from cooperating witnesses. This marks the third attempt by the government to modify the witness protection laws, suggesting previous versions faced legal or procedural obstacles.