The deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia have approved the new constitutional judges: Matej Accetto, Rajko Knez, Klemen Jaklič, and Marijan Pavčnik. In the secret ballot, Accetto received 75 votes, Knez 71, Jaklič 57, and Pavčnik 76.
Before the vote, Secretary-General in the Office of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Kovač pointed out that every single one of the candidates possesses relevant professional competences and that it can be assumed, based on their previous work, that they will perform their duties professionally, autonomously, and independently.
Franc Breznik, deputy of the biggest opposition party (Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS), said that all four candidates have enough courage to perform the duties of a constitutional court judge and added that this is not a case of “yours and ours”, i.e. of political trading, but a case of consensus and meritocratic principles. Among other things, he emphasised that it is necessary to start appointing the most competent people to the most responsible positions in Slovenia.
After being elected, they were sworn in
After the result of the vote was announced, the judges were immediately sworn in, and they will begin performing their duties on Sunday, except for Knez, who will take up his duties on 24 April. After being elected, Accetto thanked everyone for their vote and promised to do everything in his power at the Constitutional Court of Slovenia to not disappoint the people. Knez pointed out that he knows that not everyone will agree with his decisions and added that he accepts this burden. Jaklič stressed that no one who takes the rule of the people seriously wants to be elected unanimously, and Pavčnik called attention to the thought of the German expert in the field of law Gustav Radbruch, who emphasises that it is a mistake to claim that everything that benefits the people is law because only what law is benefits the people.
N.Ž.