The European Commission, in its 2026 Rule of Law Report country chapter on Slovakia published on 17 July 2026, identifies persistent rule of law challenges, particularly regarding judicial independence, anti-corruption efforts, media freedom, and lawmaking transparency, while noting some progress on safeguards for judges and Judicial Council dismissals.
The report, a staff working document accompanying the broader 2026 Rule of Law Communication, details that amendments to judges' laws adopted in September 2025 expanded the discretionary power of the Judicial Council and court presidents over judges' careers, including temporary assignments, bonuses, and evaluations. Disciplinary proceedings changes that entered into force on 1 February 2026 are currently under constitutional review (case PL. US 7/2026). A draft constitutional amendment from May 2026 that would limit grounds for dismissing Judicial Council members is in public consultation.
On anti-corruption, the Commission finds that no new high-level corruption cases were detected in 2025, and there has been a sharp decline in the detection and prosecution of corruption cases overall. The Prosecutor General's power to annul final decisions remains unchanged, a long-standing concern.
Regarding media freedom, amendments to the Media Services Act expanded the regulator's competences, but pending amendments raise independence concerns. Public service media remains a concern. A positive development noted is a Constitutional Court ruling that quashed restrictive amendments to the Freedom of Information Act.
On lawmaking, the report criticises insufficient public consultation and frequent use of fast-track procedures, which persist. Constitutional amendments from September 2025 raise concerns about the primacy of EU law. Additionally, amendments to the NGO law were declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.
The report concludes that while Slovakia made some progress on judicial safeguards, it faces serious backsliding on anti-corruption, media independence, and transparent lawmaking, with key reforms still pending or under legal challenge.