NEWS FROM THE WORLD
Draft Act on the modification of the conditions of admission to the Slovak Bar Association
Members of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic have submitted a bill (Act No. 586/2003 Coll. on Advocacy and Act No. 455/1991 Coll. on Trade Licensing), the essence of which is to equivalize the defence of a doctoral degree with successful completion of the bar examination. In other words, the Slovak Bar Association (SAK) would be obliged, after the adoption of the draft law, to enrol in the list of attorneys not only persons with a professorship and an associate professorship in law, but also graduates of doctoral studies without passing the bar examination. The SAK issued a statement of disagreement with the draft law. The SAK criticises the substantive incorrectness of the proposal and argues that the bar examination is an important element of the regulation of the legal profession and ensures the level of the standard of services provided. Furthermore, the SAK criticises that the proposal in question is not the result of a professional and substantive debate.
Amnesty International Slovakia: Unattainable right to housing
On 10 October, Amnesty International Slovakia released a research report entitled Unattainable right to housing. Amnesty states that the average housing costs represent more than 27% of the total income of Slovak households, making us one of the most expensive OECD countries in the area of housing. For the lowest income households, housing accounts for 47% of their budget and around 16.5% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The research report identifies 7 issues that contribute to the violation of the right to adequate housing of people living in Slovakia. These problems include, for example, the deep-rooted principle of meritocracy and transferable housing in housing and social services policies for homeless people or the low number of public rental housing.
Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Monitoring in Sudan, Venezuela and Russia
The UN Human Rights Council has renewed and prolonged the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission in two states; Sudan and Venezuela. The Council has also renewed the work of the special rapporteur for Russia, with the task to report on the human rights situation in the country. The resolution is crucial to bring justice for the victims of human rights abuses. Although the resolution may not bring immediate changes, the renewed investigations keep international attention on these abuses.
Freedom of expression and Access to Information Strengthening in Bosnia and Herzegovina
On 23 and 24 October, the 7th meeting of the Working Group on Monitoring and Reporting on the State of Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Bosnia and Herzegovina, established by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees there, was held in Tarčín. The aim of the Working Group is to establish a multidisciplinary cooperation for the fulfilment of the long-term human rights objective.
Israel bans UNRWA from operating in its territory, opposing the UN Charter
The Israeli Parliament (Knesset) voted on 28 October to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating in Israel. Although this law does not prohibit UNRWA from operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), it will have a negative impact on the implementation of humanitarian aid. In particular, for example, it closes the UNRWA office in East Jerusalem, closes roads through which humanitarian aid arrives and regulates entry and work permits for UNRWA staff. In this connection, the UN points out that the law is contrary to international law, which binds the State of Israel.