The European Commission has criticised Slovakia for making too little progress on rule of law reforms. In its annual Rule of Law Report published Tuesday, it issued seven recommendations, including stronger judicial safeguards and more effective prosecution of high-level corruption.
The Commission raised concern over the Prosecutor General’s power to annul decisions by investigators and prosecutors. It further noted that recent legal changes – particularly the Criminal Code reform – have led to some corruption cases involving high-ranking officials being time-barred or downgraded to misdemeanours.
Brussels also flagged declining media independence, pressure on civil society due to amendments to NGO legislation, and a lack of safeguards for journalists. The ongoing restructuring of public broadcaster Radio and Television Slovakia drew particular scrutiny.
Slovakia’s Ministry of Justice pushed back, arguing the report reflects outdated data and fails to recognise recent progress. The ministry called on the Commission to verify its findings more thoroughly in the future.
Source: STVR, TASR, Slovak Spectator
