Slovakia - July 2024

On 3 July, the Constitutional Court ruled that key provisions of a controversial penal code amendment approved by Parliament in February are legal. The legislation was set to take effect in March, but then-President Zuzana Čaputová and opposition parties requested a constitutional review of the reform. This legislation sparked protests across Slovakia, while the ruling coalition expedited the changes by skipping standard review procedures and restricting parliamentary debate.  Among the provisions deemed constitutionally valid are the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which handled cases of organized crime, corruption, and extremism; a reduction in sentences for serious crimes; and shortened statutes of limitations. Opposition parties criticized the reform and the European Commission warned of possible financial repercussions. On 16 July, amid concerns about losing access to EU funds, the Parliament tweaked the Criminal Code, approving harsher penalties for crimes involving EU funding.

Sources: Constitutional Court of Slovakia, Politico, International IDEA, European Interest, Euractiv, European Commission