Slovak Government Abandons Plan to Abolish Whistleblower Protection Office After EU Payment Suspension

The Slovak government has reversed its decision to abolish the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers after facing significant pressure from the European Union and the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the abolition in mid-December, and the European Commission subsequently suspended recovery plan payments to Slovakia at the end of January in response to the controversial move. The government is now abandoning what had been a coalition priority at the end of last year. The original legislation was passed during an extraordinary government session on a Saturday, followed by two weeks of parliamentary debate and an overnight session where lawmakers overrode a presidential veto. The reversal represents a significant retreat for the ruling coalition, which had pushed through the abolition despite warnings about potential consequences from EU institutions and legal challenges.