The Slovak Constitutional Court announced its decision to provisionally suspend the recently adopted law that would have abolished the Whistleblower Protection Office (WPO) – Úrad na ochranu oznamovateľov – on 1 January 2026. The effect of this decision is that the Whistleblower Protection Office and the current whistleblower protections will continue to operate in their current form, including retaining its Chairperson, Zuzana Dlugošová, pending the Court’s full review of the case.
Key Highlights:
- The WPO will not be abolished on 1 January 2026, and the current Chair, Zuzana Dlugošová, remains in post
- A full decision from the Constitutional Court as to whether the law that was adopted breaches the Constitution of the Slovak Republic or not is pending.
- The European Commission and other EU oversight bodies will continue to monitor the situation
On 12 December, the Slovak government, using its majority in Parliament, voted a second time to adopt a fast-tracked law, overriding a presidential veto made the day before. The new law was set to abolish the independent Whistleblower Protection Office on the 1 January 2026 and amend the whistleblower protection law to significantly reduce protections. An urgent application was made to the Constitutional Court to determine the constitutionality of the new law.
The Court’s decision today (17 December) has been welcomed by national, European and international civil society organisations who have been calling for the Slovak Government to reconsider and for members of parliament to reject the law on the basis that it marked a ‘dangerous turn’ against democracy and the rule of law.
Relevant Links to Further Reading:
- Slovakia’s Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers
- Government Moves to Abolish Whistleblower Protection Office
- Link to the Court’s preliminary decision in Slovak
- WIN and EWI Statement on Constitutional Court Decision
- Whistleblower Protection Office issues landmark fine, amid rising cases – EU Whistleblowing Monitor