THOUSANDS of people have rallied across Slovakia as protests intensified against a government plan to amend the penal code.

Thursday’s demonstrations took place hours after President Zuzana Caputova voiced her strong opposition to the changes, warning that they could jeopardise the rule of law.

The plan approved by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s coalition government includes the abolition of the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious offences such as organised crime and extremism.