The year 2024 marked a significant weakening of the rule of law in Slovakia. The European Commission’s report highlights political attacks on judges, stigmatization of NGOs, restrictions on freedom of assembly, and interference with media independence. Despite a few positive steps, prevailing trends undermine public trust in institutions and push Slovakia to the borderline between European democratic standards and their gradual erosion.

The year 2024 was particularly challenging for Slovakia in the area of the rule of law. The 2025 Rule of Law Report [1], prepared by the European Commission using data provided by the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights (SNSĽP), confirms this statement. Despite a few positive steps, prevailing trends undermine trust in institutions, the independence of the judiciary, and the space for civil society. It is clear that Slovakia continues to balance on a thin line between East and West. The importance of the report lies precisely in exposing the interconnection of negative phenomena – from political attacks on judges to the targeted stigmatization of NGOs – and showing that the rule of law is threatened not only by legislative changes but also by the current political culture.

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Several organizations operate in the area of human rights in Slovakia. Among them, the main one is the SNSĽP. In the past, the SNSĽP issued several recommendations to strengthen the NHRI mandate in compliance with the Paris Principles. However, the current government has ignored these proposals, putting the SNSĽP in the role of a “silent bystander” rather than a real partner in protecting rights. The institution claims to have no access to information during the legislative process, which in practice means its recommendations come only ex post, without the possibility of influencing legislation. Moreover, despite a slight increase in budget since 2022, the institution remains underfunded. Yet SNSĽP bears responsibility for implementing action plans and national strategies that state authorities themselves are unable to develop.

Amendment to the Non-Profit Organizations Act

The March amendment to the Non-Profit Organizations Act is a typical example of how the government, under the guise of “transparency,” sought to stigmatize NGOs. The goal was to introduce an obligation for all NGOs to label themselves as “organizations with foreign support” if they received financial or other material benefit exceeding EUR 5,000 per year from a foreign natural or legal person. Otherwise, they faced fines of up to EUR 5,000 or even the dissolution of the NGO by a court. Dissolution of associations or organizations with an international element could also be directly decided by the Ministry of Interior. According to SNSĽP, such regulation would have discriminatory effects and is contrary to the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU (for example Case C‑78/18).

Lex Assassination

Another example of restrictive legislation was the Act on Certain Measures to Improve Security (so-called Lex Assassination), adopted in June 2024 by means of accelerated legislative procedure after the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico. The law significantly limited freedom of assembly – banning demonstrations within 50 meters of several state institutions and introducing new grounds for their prohibition. While the measures were presented under the pretext of security concerns, in reality, they interfere with the very core of the democratic process.

(Non-)Funding and Attacks on NGOs Supporting LGBTI+

The year 2024 brought restrictions on NGOs’ access to public funding, for example in environmental projects or human rights support programs. LGBTI+ organizations were particularly affected by the government who openly stopped their funding. The suspension of funding was accompanied by a billboard campaign “we stopped funding LGBTI+ projects”. Verbal attacks by politicians and state officials also increased; labeling NGOs as “Soros’ agents,” “traitors,” or “foreign agents”. Some organizations faced threats, smear campaigns, or excessive administrative inspections. In this way, government officials openly illustrated their stance towards the protection of minorities.

A Specific Case of Undermining Judicial Independence

The NHRI continues to point out risks associated with the possibility of dismissing members of the Judicial Council at any time without clear criteria. Controversy was also sparked by the Minister of Justice’s extraordinary decision to allow an appeal in favor of former prosecutor Dušan Kováčik and order his release. Kováčik had been convicted in several corruption cases, but government representatives claimed he was the victim of a political trial. SNSĽP described this step as undermining the authority of the judicial system and the rule of law.

The End of Media Freedom

In 2024, the public broadcaster RTVS was abolished. In its place, a law established a new institution called Slovak Television and Radio (STVR), a state-controlled broadcaster. The change led, among other things, to the dismissal of the RTVS board, government`s takeover of its management, and appointment of a new director. Government`s officials repeatedly refused to participate in political debates in private media whenever they expected critical questioning. In May 2024, a TV Markíza moderator publicly pointed out the political pressure and attempts at censorship during a live broadcast. He was immediately dismissed, and the program was temporarily suspended.

According to a survey by the Ján Kuciak Investigative Centre (2023), 66.2% of journalists experienced an attack or threat in the past 12 months (4% physical attacks), 47% perceived an increase in incidents over the last five years, and 33.3% registered growing verbal attacks from politicians. SNSĽP also recorded a record number of incidents in 2024. Particularly concerning was the incident in which the head of the Government Office and the Prime Minister’s chief advisor recorded and published a video targeting a specific journalist. After the edited version of the video appeared online, the journalist faced a wave of threats, including death threats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the year 2024 in Slovakia showed a continuing deterioration of the environment for civil society and the weakening of principles on which the rule of law is built. The main problems include restricting NGO activities through repressive legislative proposals, interfering with the right of assembly, verbal attacks throughout society, as well as the state’s insufficient response to recommendations of the national human rights institution. Overall, the development suggests that Slovakia is alarmingly approaching a governance model in which authoritarian mechanisms prevail over the democratic ones.

Notes

[1] This report is a part of a joint initiative of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI). ENNHRI submits the report to the European Commission within the framework of the European Rule of Law Mechanism as a joint report of all national human rights institutions in the EU Member States.

Sources

European Commission - Representation of Slovakia. (2025, July 8). 2025 Rule of Law Report. Available at https://slovakia.representation.ec.europa.eu/news/sprava-o-pravnom-state-2025-2025-07-08_sk. 

Slovak National Centre for Human Rights. (2025). State of Rule of Law Report. Available at https://www.snslp.sk/en/aktuality/sprava-o-stave-pravneho-statu-na-slovensku-2024/. 

Slovenské národné stredisko pre ľudské práva. (2025). Správa o právnom štáte 2025 – Slovensko. Available at https://www.snslp.sk/wp-content/uploads/Sprava-o-pravnom-state-za-rok-2024.pdf.