EC: Infringement Closed after Repeal of Changes to Whistleblower Protection

Brussels/Bratislava, 8 July (TASR) - The European Commission (EC) on Wednesday announced that it ended the infringement procedure against Slovakia launched in January 2026 due to amendments to whistleblower protection legislation after the law on transforming the Whistleblower Protection Office (UOO) into a new authority was repealed. According to the EC, the concerns regarding the breach of the EU's Whistleblower Directive and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights no longer exist. "Following the Commission's swift intervention and a constructive dialogue with the Slovak authorities, Slovakia repealed the contested amendment before it could take effect. As a result, the concerns identified by the Commission have been addressed, including those relating to the independence of the Slovak Whistleblower Protection Office," stated the EC, adding that it will continue to monitor whether the Whistleblower Directive is being correctly implemented and applied across all member countries. The Slovak Parliament passed a law on transforming UOO in December 2025, with the new legislation introducing several changes. In addition to the whistleblowers agenda, the newly established office was also meant to take over the agenda of compensating victims of crime from the Justice Ministry. The law was also intended to address reviews of protection during both criminal and administrative proceedings. President Peter Pellegrini vetoed the legislation, returning it to Parliament for reconsideration, but MPs broke the president's veto and re-approved the law. Based on a motion lodged by the opposition, the Constitutional Court suspended its effect before it could enter into force, and Parliament ultimately repealed it via an amendment to the Criminal Code. The legislation spurred criticism among the expert community and from the EC. In addition to the infringement proceedings, negotiations on the payment of the sixth tranche under Slovakia's Recovery and Resilience Plan were also suspended. jrg/df