Gov't: EU Rule of Law Report Uses Wrong Methodology, Contains Inaccuracies

Bratislava, 20 August (TASR) – This year's Rule of Law Report by the European Commission (EC) was compiled using inappropriate methodology and contains factual inaccuracies in the section on Slovakia, the Slovak government has stated in its official response to the 2025 Rule of Law Report, which it approved at its session on Wednesday. Among its main criticisms, the government objects to the use of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as relevant sources without proper verification. "Compared to previous years, we consider the report somewhat more balanced and factual. On the other hand, we perceive that it still contains multiple, even fundamental, inaccuracies and incomplete information, nearly all of which present Slovakia in a negative light," reads the approved material, submitted by the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry. While Slovak authorities were given the opportunity to express their views and provide relevant input, the government sees the final version of the report as "incomplete, inaccurate and not reflecting the real state of affairs in the Slovak Republic". According to the government, the Commission’s assessments are often too general and lack detailed justification. A key objection is the use of NGOs that the government considers to be politically engaged and in a conflict of interest, used as sources "without any regard for the context of their funding and political activities.” The government also criticised the uncritical adoption of statements from such NGOs, despite what it described as "thorough and justified" warnings from the Slovak Government Office that these statements were incomplete, inaccurate or false. In contrast, the EC took only minimal account of the Slovak government's position and ignored most of its comments, according to the cabinet. Essential facts were either omitted or included only in footnotes, unlike information provided by NGOs, which was given more prominence. The Slovak government also stated that the Commission failed to adhere to its own methodological principles in preparing the report. According to the cabinet, the EC's annual reports should be adjusted to place greater emphasis on verified facts over political interpretations. "Deficiencies in the methodology and procedures used in compiling the report were not identified solely by the government – the European Court of Auditors reached a similar conclusion and offered several recommendations for improving the preparation process," stated the government. mf/df