Judiciary plagued by lengthy proceedings and understaffing

The Slovak judiciary is bedevilled mostly by delays in dragged-out proceedings, as well as the understaffing and underfinancing of courts, according to Justice Minister Gábor Gál (Most-Hid) and representatives of the European Commission for Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ). Speaking at a press conference following their meeting on Tuesday, they acknowledged that similar problems are faced also by courts abroad. CEPEJ President Georg Stawa stated that the problems encountered by the Slovak judiciary are seen in almost all the states of Central Europe. Justice Ministry State Secretary Edita Pfundtner stated that the purpose of the conference was to place emphasis on reforms aimed to improve the efficiency of the Slovak judicial system and the quality of the courts. She added that we should expect the judicial system to be able to avoid delays without sacrificing quality.