The government of Slovakia has approved the rejection of the 2024 revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR). The resolution to reject the rules was submitted by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, which cited possible concerns related to human rights and constitutional law, drawing on opinions from several law faculties at Slovak universities. The government made the decision on Wednesday.
“The alternatives were considered, and Slovakia has four options: not to notify, in which case the revision would automatically enter into force for Slovakia on September 19, 2026, or to notify rejection, a reservation, or a declaration to extend the entry into force of the 2024 IHR by 12 months. Given the doubts from a human rights and constitutional perspective, the Ministry of Health is submitting this material with the aim of notifying rejection,” the ministry explained.
The ministry noted that last year the government tasked Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas – SD), Justice Minister Boris Susko, and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (both from SMER – SD) with reviewing the professional and legal aspects of accepting or rejecting the regulations and proposing further steps.
According to the ministry, no risks related to healthcare were identified regarding acceptance of the revision. However, due to the absence of agreement among the responsible ministries, the ministry asked Comenius University in Bratislava, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, and Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice to prepare independent legal opinions.
The Faculty of Law at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica argued that some provisions raise concerns regarding state sovereignty, legal certainty, and possible interference with citizens’ fundamental rights. It pointed in particular to the expansion of the powers of the WHO Director-General, unclear legal terminology, the automatic binding nature of changes without parliamentary ratification, and potential financial obligations without approval from the Slovak parliament, which it believes could conflict with the basic principles of the country’s constitutional order.
“For these reasons, we propose that the Slovak Republic reject the changes in question. Applying reservations is not a sufficient guarantee of protecting Slovakia’s sovereignty, as it has no suspensive effect and there is a risk that the reservations would not be accepted by other parties,” the faculty stated.
The Faculty of Law at Comenius University recommended that the ministry initiate preliminary interdepartmental consultations with representatives of ministries and professional chambers about the possible legislative impacts of the 2024 IHR. According to the faculty, such dialogue could lay the groundwork for a future national action plan for implementing WHO regulations while strengthening legal certainty and public trust in state institutions.
The Ministry of Health also referred to the opinion of the Faculty of Law at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, which did not issue a clear final recommendation and instead presented partial conclusions on individual questions. The faculty stated that the 2005 International Health Regulations remain binding for Slovakia and noted that the country can reject the 2024 amendments or submit reservations by March 19; otherwise, the changes would become binding on September 19.
Before Wednesday’s government meeting, the justice and health ministers said that rejecting the revision would not affect international cooperation during medical crises. Susko noted that Slovakia is already bound by the 2005 IHR, while Šaško said international cooperation in this area functions well and that Slovakia remains a respected partner.
Source: TASR
