11/09/2026 Monitoring
Deborah Bergamini (Italy, EPP/CD) and Claude Kern (France, ALDE), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on “The functioning of democratic institutions in the Slovak Republic”, will make a fact-finding visit to Bratislava from 15 to 17 September.
The co-rapporteurs will mainly focus on checks and balances, political polarisation, media freedom, the independence of the judiciary, the effectiveness and robustness of anti-corruption institutions and the quality of the legislative process, given the increasing use of fast-track procedures.
Ms Bergamini and Mr Kern will hold meetings with the Speaker of the National Council, representatives of the Ministries of Foreign and European Affairs, Justice, the Interior and Culture, as well as with representatives of the judicial authorities, the Police Force Presidium and the Office of the Government for the Development of Civil Society.
Meetings are also scheduled with representatives of coalition and opposition parties, members of the delegation of the Slovak Republic to PACE and the Public Defender of Rights, as well as with representatives of civil society organisations and the media.
Following a motion for a resolution presented in June 2025 by 29 Assembly members, the Bureau asked in September 2025 the Monitoring Committee to prepare a report on “The functioning of democratic institutions in the Slovak Republic”. The committee then appointed Ms Bergamini and Mr Kern as co-rapporteurs. This is their first fact-finding visit to the country in the framework of their mandate.