25/09/2026 Monitoring
Ending a three-day visit to Bratislava, the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of the Slovak Republic, Deborah Bergamini (Italy, EPP/CD) and Claude Kern (France, ALDE), have expressed their concern at signs of democratic regression, and noted that the system of checks and balances in the country needs to be further strengthened to safeguard its continued viability.
"As recognised by some of our interlocutors representing the authorities, there are issues with the legislative process that need to be addressed, including a lack of inclusive law-making, excessive use of the fast-track procedure and concerns at the misuse of the amendment process," they said.
The co-rapporteurs noted that the country benefits from a dynamic, multi-party political environment. At the same time, they highlighted the importance of pluralist media and called on the authorities to safeguard the independence of the Council for Media Services and the public broadcaster, and to ensure the freedom and independence of journalists.
“We welcome efforts to remove the offence of ‘abuse of law’ that could undermine the independence of the judiciary, and we call for the enactment of that legislation without further delay,” said the co-rapporteurs.
They added: “In our meetings, the authorities reiterated their support for the rule of law. Nonetheless, we are concerned at the country’s ability to fight corruption. Corruption prosecutions are not being conducted with the rigour and priority needed, and anti-corruption structures are being progressively dismantled. The significant reduction in the time-limits for bringing a prosecution for corruption offences risks leading to impunity in many cases. Concerted efforts and stable structures are needed to effectively tackle and prosecute corruption, with a robustly independent investigation and prosecution service."
The co-rapporteurs concluded that the Slovak Republic would benefit from strengthened co-operation with the Council of Europe and its Assembly.
PACE’s Monitoring Committee can prepare a report on the functioning of democratic institutions in any member state when particular developments warrant.