Slovakia's Government Risks Constitutional Court Action If It Fails to Balance Budget, Expert Warns

Slovakia's Constitutional Court has confirmed that the government cannot indefinitely delay its obligations under the country's debt brake law, a leading constitutional expert has warned. The ruling, issued this week, reinforces what legal scholars have long argued: the government is legally required to act when national debt reaches certain thresholds, and deliberate delays are not permissible. Constitutional law expert Marián Giba stated that if the government fails to present a balanced budget in the autumn, the Constitutional Court could strike it down. Slovakia's debt brake is a legal mechanism that automatically triggers mandatory fiscal measures — including budget cuts or revenue increases — when public debt exceeds set limits relative to the size of the economy. The current government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer-SD party, has faced criticism for what opponents describe as a failure to take the required corrective fiscal steps. The Constitutional Court's position significantly raises the stakes for the government's upcoming budget process, as non-compliance could result in the court annulling the budget entirely — a move that would create serious political and financial instability in the country.