On 17 July 2026, the European Commission published its 2026 Rule of Law Report country chapter on Slovenia, assessing progress in the justice system, anti-corruption framework, media independence, and civil society. The document, a staff working document accompanying the broader annual Rule of Law Communication, finds that while Slovenia has advanced judicial reforms, limited results in corruption cases and persistent challenges for journalist protection remain concerns.
The report highlights several legislative changes adopted in 2025. The new Judges Act, passed on 21 November 2025, transferred the power to appoint Supreme Court judges from Parliament to the Judicial Council and introduced judicial review of such appointments. The Judicial Council Act limited council members to a single non-renewable six-year term. The disciplinary framework for judges was overhauled with more precise offence definitions, removal of the Judicial Council's power to initiate proceedings, and new procedural rules. A new Courts Act merges District and Local Courts into 11 District Courts effective 1 January 2027, and mandates electronic case allocation by January 2029.
e-filing became mandatory for all first-instance civil cases on 30 March 2026, a new e-Sodstvo portal launched in July 2026, speech-to-text technology is used in all courts, and real-time subtitling was introduced in 19 courtrooms in 2025. Despite these steps, the report notes that the backlog of cases has increased and trial length remains a challenge, particularly in money laundering and corruption cases.
On anti-corruption, the Commission notes the ongoing implementation of the Resolution on Prevention of Corruption and its 2025-2030 Action Plan. The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (CPC) reported suffering credibility attacks. A new Public Employees Act, adopted in July 2025, unified conflict-of-interest rules. Whistleblower protection status increased in 2025. However, the report states that concrete results in high-level corruption cases remain limited.
In the media sector, the report finds that the media regulator remains independent but faces resource concerns. The Slovenian Press Agency's financial challenges have been addressed, but the public broadcaster's finances have improved only to a limited extent. Journalists report obstacles in accessing official information and difficult working conditions.
The Ombudsperson handled a high number of complaints, and the civil society environment is described as favourable. The former Government adopted two framework strategies. Overall, the Commission concludes that Slovenia has made notable judicial reforms but must improve corruption case outcomes and journalist protections, while digitalisation continues and the backlog remains unresolved.