Justice Minister Maria Kolíková (For the People) has concluded an agreement with the Council of Europe's European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) to foster closer co-operation in the assessment of cases and the preparation of a new judiciary roadmap, the ministry press department announced on Tuesday.
"I'm aware that the public expects significant changes to be made in the judiciary. These cannot be postponed any longer. Therefore, I welcome the aid extended by experts at the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice, who can furnish us with valuable information as well as feedback on whether we're heading in the right direction in the drafting of reforms," said Kolikova.
Meanwhile, President Zuzana Čaputová stated at a lawyers' conference in the Czech town of Kromeriz on Tuesday that judges are the only group capable of holding a mirror up to the judiciary without being accused of outside interference with its independence. "The Slovak judiciary faces a high level of public distrust, one of the highest in the EU, and this public reflection also mirrors the scope of the problem to a certain degree," said Čaputová, adding that because of this, it's natural for representatives of the executive and legislative branches to aspire to contribute towards the restoration of the judiciary.
