The rule of law, fundamental rights and misuse of EU funds in Slovakia: the need for an EU response

Amendments tabled for the plenary sitting on this text, in their own numbering series. This is a different set from the committee amendments tracked elsewhere on AmendEU, and is not counted in any of the site’s amendment totals.

1. Amendment 1ESNMotion for a resolution · Recital C a (new)
   Amendment

   Ca. whereas, pursuant to Article 4(2) TEU, the EU is bound to respect the equality of Member States before the Treaties as well as their national identities, inherent in their fundamental political and constitutional structures; whereas the assessment of the rule of law must be carried out objectively, impartially and on the basis of clearly established legal criteria, and must not be used as an instrument of political pressure against democratically elected governments or national parliaments;

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2. Amendment 2ESNMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 1
   Current text

   Expresses deep concern over the deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Slovakia; highlights that verifiable adherence by the Member States to both the rule of law and the Charter must be regarded as an essential precondition to receiving any EU funds; underlines that all programmes and investments financed by the EU budget must serve the public interest; stresses that systemic deficiencies in the rule of law, in particular in the independence of the judiciary and in audit and control systems, endanger the protection of the EU’s financial interests;

   Amendment

   Underlines that all programmes and investments financed by the EU budget must serve the public interest;

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3. Amendment 3ESNMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 4
   Current text

   4. Expresses deep concern about the constitutional amendments in Slovakia, in particular those restricting fundamental rights, the rule of law and the primacy of EU law; notes with concern that civil society organisations have warned that these amendments may violate fundamental rights; stresses that constitutional provisions must be formulated with sufficient precision to prevent arbitrary interpretation and must fully comply with obligations under EU law, including the Charter, as well as international human rights standards; recalls that the primacy of EU law and the binding nature of international obligations must be fully respected and that no constitutional provision can justify non-co…

   Amendment

   4. Fully respects the constitutional amendments in Slovakia, emphasising that the right to amend and adopt a national constitution is a sovereign and exclusive prerogative of each Member State; underlines that such processes are an expression of national constitutional identity, which the EU is bound to respect under the Treaties; recognises that the internal organisation of public authorities and the formulation of constitutional provisions fall within the primary competence of the Member States;

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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4. Amendment 4ESNMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 15
   Current text

   15. Expresses deep concern about the deterioration of media freedom and pluralism in Slovakia, including political interference in public service media, pressure on journalists through a climate of hostility, smear campaigns and disinformation, the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), including by high-ranking political figures, and the risk of a concentration of media ownership in politically aligned hands, combined with dismissals of key cultural institution leaders, which risk creating a chilling effect on press freedom and public discourse; stresses that a weakened media environment significantly reduces democratic scrutiny and facilitates corruption in the im…

   Amendment

   15. Stresses that the regulation and organisation of the media landscape are part of the sovereign prerogative of the Member States, while emphasising the fundamental principle that journalists and media outlets should maintain strict impartiality, professional independence and objectivity in their reporting;

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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5. Amendment 5S&DMotion for a resolution · Recital S
   Current text

   S. whereas amendments to the Constitution adopted on 26 September 2025 introduced provisions relating to adoption, educational activities and the constitutional definition of sex; whereas the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission have expressed concerns about these amendments;

   Amendment

   S. whereas amendments to the Constitution adopted on 26 September 2025 introduced provisions relating to adoption, educational activities and the constitutional definition of sex, which do not comply with the recommendations made by the Venice Commission; whereas these new provisions discriminate against LGBTIQ+ persons; whereas the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission have expressed concerns about these amendments;

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6. Amendment 6S&DMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 2
   Current text

   2. Calls on the Commission to assess whether there could be a clear risk of a serious breach by Slovakia of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to make full use of all available instruments to address concerns regarding democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, starting with preventive and cooperative tools within the framework of its annual rule of law report, with a view to ensuring compliance with the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU; stresses, however, that where concerns persist and are duly substantiated, the Commission should not hesitate to make use of all enforcement measures at its disposal to protect the EU budget and uphold the…

   Amendment

   2. Calls on the Commission to assess whether there could be a clear risk of a serious breach by Slovakia of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to make full use of all available instruments to address concerns regarding democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, starting with preventive and cooperative tools within the framework of its annual rule of law report, with a view to ensuring compliance with the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU; stresses, however, that where concerns persist and are duly substantiated, the Commission should not hesitate to make use of all enforcement measures at its disposal to protect the EU budget and uphold the…

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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7. Amendment 7S&DMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 4
   Current text

   4. Expresses deep concern about the constitutional amendments in Slovakia, in particular those restricting fundamental rights, the rule of law and the primacy of EU law; notes with concern that civil society organisations have warned that these amendments may violate fundamental rights; stresses that constitutional provisions must be formulated with sufficient precision to prevent arbitrary interpretation and must fully comply with obligations under EU law, including the Charter, as well as international human rights standards; recalls that the primacy of EU law and the binding nature of international obligations must be fully respected and that no constitutional provision can justify non-co…

   Amendment

   4. Expresses deep concern about the constitutional amendments in Slovakia, in particular those restricting fundamental rights, the rule of law and the primacy of EU law; notes with concern that civil society organisations have warned that these amendments may violate fundamental rights; stresses that constitutional provisions must be formulated with sufficient precision to prevent arbitrary interpretation and must fully comply with obligations under EU law, including the Charter, as well as international human rights standards; recalls that the primacy of EU law and the binding nature of international obligations must be fully respected and that no constitutional provision can justify non-co…

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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8. Amendment 8S&DMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 19
   Current text

   19. Calls on the Slovak authorities to ensure the effective prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence in law and in practice, in accordance with EU law and international human rights law; reiterates the importance of the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence without delay and of bringing the legal definition of rape in line with international human rights standards;

   Amendment

   19. Calls on the Slovak authorities to ensure the effective prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence in law and in practice, in accordance with EU law and international human rights law; reiterates the importance of the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) without delay and of bringing the legal definition of rape in line with international human rights standards, and calls on the Slovak authorities to do both without delay;

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9. Amendment 9S&DMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 20
   Current text

   20. Calls on the Slovak authorities, in view of the backlash provoked by several legislative initiatives in Slovakia, particularly since 2023, to ensure full compliance with their obligations to guarantee effective, timely and non-discriminatory access to sexual and reproductive health and rights; recalls that these obligations derive from international human rights standards and are integral to the protection of fundamental rights, including the rights to private and family life, health and non-discrimination;

   Amendment

   20. Calls on the Slovak authorities, in view of the backlash provoked by several legislative initiatives in Slovakia, particularly since 2023, to ensure full compliance with their obligations to guarantee effective, timely and non-discriminatory access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to safe and legal abortion; recalls that these obligations derive from international human rights standards and are integral to the protection of fundamental rights, including the rights to private and family life, health and non-discrimination;

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10. Amendment 10PfEMotion for a resolution · Recital D a (new)
    Amendment

    Da. whereas the Commission has applied blatant double standards in respect of the rule of law; whereas rule of law debates and reports have been abused and weaponised against governments that defend their sovereignty in line with the EU Treaties;

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11. Amendment 11PfEMotion for a resolution · Recital Z a (new)
    Amendment

    Za. whereas upon its accession to the EU in 2004, the Slovak Republic acknowledged that the Beneš Decrees were to be regarded as historical legal acts without continuing legal effect; whereas serious concerns remain over the continued application of the Beneš Decrees in Slovakia, including cases of land confiscation affecting members of the Hungarian community and other minorities;

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12. Amendment 12PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 1 a (new)
    Amendment

    1a. Condemns any attempt to use rule of law reports or other mechanisms to blackmail democratically elected governments; calls on the Commission to apply rule of law principles equally to all Member States and applicant countries; condemns the double standards applied by the Commission with regard to human rights; calls on the Commission and Parliament to adhere to rule of law principles and the principle of non-interference in domestic politics and national elections;

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13. Amendment 13PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 14 a (new)
    Amendment

    14a. Recalls that the European Court of Auditors, in its special report 11/2025, found that while NGOs have a strong influence on the EU’s decision-making process, there is a lack of transparency regarding the EU funding granted to these entities; expresses serious concern over grave irregularities in the management of European taxpayers’ funds in the case of the NGO Projekt Fórum, which, according to publicly available information, led to an order for the recovery of EUR 113 400 by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency in connection with the project Mirrors of Europe;

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14. Amendment 14PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 24 a (new)
    Amendment

    24a. Calls on the Slovak Republic to cease the application of any legal provisions deriving from the principle of collective guilt, linked to the Beneš Decrees, which continue to produce legal effects today, in particular where they undermine property rights, freedom of expression and the rights of persons belonging to national minorities;

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15. Amendment 15PPEMotion for a resolution · Recital W
    Current text

    W. whereas on 11 December 2025, the Slovak Parliament amended the Criminal Code in order to criminalise ‘denial of the post-World War II peace settlement’; whereas on 2 February 2022, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities invited the Slovak authorities to enter into dialogue with representatives of the national minorities concerned about any possible negative effects of the 1945 regulation on confiscation of property on current interethnic relations;

    Amendment

    W. whereas on 11 December 2025, the Slovak Parliament amended the Criminal Code in order to criminalise the questioning of the ‘post-World War II decrees’; whereas this recently adopted law risks creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression and academic freedom, as protected under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; whereas the continued confiscation of land on the basis of the above mentioned decrees that have been applied in particular to citizens belonging to the Hungarian national minority is in fact a land grabbing scheme, which has deprived hundreds of owners of valuable land and raises concerns regarding legal certainty and respect for the rule of law; wher…

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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16. Amendment 16PPEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 23 a (new)
    Amendment

    23a. Expresses grave concern regarding administrative and judicial practices involving the Slovak Land Fund and the Forests of the Slovak Republic state enterprise resulting in uncompensated land and forest confiscations on the basis of post-war decrees; calls on the Slovak authorities to repeal the amendment of the Criminal Code, suspend all legal proceedings, and end any ongoing land confiscations;

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