Steps taken by The Slovak Republic to implement and enforce the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions

(Information as of 22 June 2004)

Date of deposit of instrument of ratification/acceptance or date of accession

11 February 1999.

Deposit of instrument of ratification/acceptance: 24 September 1999
Entry into force of the Convention: 23 November 1999
Entry into force of implementing legislation: 1 November 1999

Implementing legislation

Act No. 129/1998 Coll. which introduces article 161b of the Criminal Code penalising bribery of a foreign public official in international business transactions

-  Publication in official journal: Collection of Laws No 318/99,

-  Date of entry into force:  11 February 1999

Other relevant laws, regulations or decrees that have an impact on a country’s implementation of the OECD Convention or the Recommendations

By the Act No 253/2001 Coll. which came into force on 1 August 2001

- Section 161b of the Criminal Code concerning the criminal liability for bribery of foreign public officials was amended to cover bribery acts committed for the benefit of third parties,

- different sanctions for bribery of domestic versus foreign public officials were eliminated,

- statute of limitations for bribery offences increased from 3 to 5 years,

- Section 252 of the Criminal Code prosecuting money laundering offences was changed to cover all incomes or other proceeds from a crime.

The National Council of the Slovak Republic adopted the Law No. 367/2000 Coll. on Protection Against Legalisation of Proceeds from Criminal Activity on 5. October 2000. This law came in to effect 1 January 2001.

These laws were adopted as a result of the evaluation of the Slovak Republic under Phase 1.

Other information  

Relevant authorities

Relevant authorities, to whom one can report information on a bribery offence, are the police and the public prosecution authorities.

Relevant Internet links to national implementing legislation

Relevant Internet links to national implementing legislation are www.justice.gov.sk and www.genpro.gov.sk

Signature/Ratification of other relevant international instruments

Concerning other relevant international documents the Slovak Republic has signed:

- the UN Convention Against Corruption on 10 December 2003;

- the Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention of Corruption on 27 January 1999. Convention ratified on 9 June 2000 and came into force on 1 July 2002;

- the Council of Europe Civil Law Convention on Corruption on 8 June 2000. Convention was ratified on 5May 2003 and entered into force for the Slovak Republic on 1 November 2003;

- the Council of Europe Convention on Searching, Detection, Seizure and Confiscation  of the Proceeds from Crime on 8 September 1999. Convention was ratified on 27 February 2001.

Working Group on Bribery Monitoring Reports 

Phase 1:  Review of Implementation of the Convention and 1997 Recommendation
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/16/15/2389408.pdf

Phase 2:  Report on the Application of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the 1997 Recommendation on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/28/15/35778308.pdf