CHAPTER FIVE
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Division One
Scope of legal assistance

Section 531
Definition of the matter

Procedural acts carried out after the commencement of the criminal proceedings in the Slovak Republic in the territory of another State on the basis of a request by the Slovak authorities or such acts carried out in the territory of the Slovak Republic on the basis of a request by foreign authorities, in particular service of documents, hearing of persons and taking of other evidence, shall be understood as legal assistance.

CHAPTER FIVE
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Division Three
Requests by foreign authorities

Section 540
Acts by foreign authorities

(2) A foreign consular office having jurisdiction for the territory of the Slovak Republic may carry out, if so mandated by the authorities of the State it represents and on their behalf, procedural acts for criminal proceedings only with the prior consent given by the Ministry of Justice. Service of documents on the national of the represented State or the examination of a person who appears voluntarily shall not require any prior consent by the Ministry of Justice.

CHAPTER FIVE
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Division Three
Requests by foreign authorities

Section 541
Service of documents

(1) If the document to be served on an addressee in the Slovak Republic is written in the Slovak language or in a language which, taking into account all circumstances of the case, is deemed to be understood by the addressee, or if a translation into such language is attached to the document and no personal service is requested, the document shall be served on the addressee in accordance with the provisions of this Code governing the service in proper hands. Service by deposit shall be admissible only after a repeated attempt to serve.

(2) If the document is not in the language specified in paragraph 1 and no translation into such language is attached to the document, and the requesting authority was not required under an international treaty to provide such translation, the authority executing the assistance shall arrange for the Slovak translation and subsequently serve the document as provided for in paragraph 1. Otherwise it shall serve the document on the addressee only should he accept it voluntarily after being advised of the possibility to refuse the service.

(3) If the requesting authority requests personal service of the documents, the documents shall be served on the addressee in person. In such an event, the service under paragraph 1 shall not be admissible and should even the repeated attempt to serve the document in person fail, the authority effecting the service shall return the request non-executed and in the cover letter it shall specify the reasons for the failure of service. The addressee shall confirm the effected service by signing the receipt provided by the requesting authority or in the protocol of the authority effecting the service. If the addressee refuses to accept the documents for reasons specified in paragraph 2, the authority effecting the service shall record this fact in the receipt provided by the requesting authority or in the cover letter by which it returns the request to the requesting authority.