Dokument #1155027
Freedom House (Autor)
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Democratic Governance | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Electoral Process | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
Civil Society | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
Independent Media | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Local Democratic Governance | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 |
Judicial Framework and Independence | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 2.75 |
Corruption | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.75 |
Democracy Score | 2.14 | 2.29 | 2.46 | 2.68 | 2.54 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.61 | 2.64 | 2.61 |
NOTE: The ratings reflect the consensus of Freedom House, its academic advisers, and the author(s) of this report. If consensus cannot be reached, Freedom House is responsible for the final ratings. The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s).
While Slovakia is unquestionably a consolidated democracy, corruption, cronyism and illiberal politics remain significant, if not dominant, features of the status quo. Developments in 2015 did not significantly alter this impression.
Slovakia has been among the most obvious economic success stories in post-communist Europe, and with economic growth topping 3 percent in 2015, it is one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union (EU). However, political and judicial reforms have slowed down in recent years, and as the country’s political right splintered, the ruling Direction–Social Democracy (Smer-SD) has cemented the primacy of an already well-developed network of clientelist partners in business, healthcare, and the courts. Smer-SD has also reasserted the state’s important role in the economy, including in social policy and public administration. By the end of 2015, the party gained in public opinion polls—partly due to Prime Minister Robert Fico’s anti-immigrant rhetoric amid the European migration crisis—and was set to stay in power after the March 2016 elections.
In contrast to 2014 with its multiple elections, the year 2015 in Slovakia was largely one of stagnation as political parties strategized for the general election. In September, Fico launched a direct challenge against the EU’s refugee resettlement quotas, an action that proved popular with the Slovak electorate and highlighted a latent xenophobia in the country. The country’s existing Roma minority remains politically and socially marginalized.
The electoral campaign put major structural reforms on hold, with the education, healthcare and judicial sectors remaining the most in need of an overhaul. Healthcare in particular remains the source of repeated public procurement scandals. With medical workers earning low salaries, the scandals prompted a hefty debate about common informal payments made to doctors in a sector where funds rarely seem to be where they are needed.
Much of the government’s political activity in the first half of the year centered on coping with crises, including the continued fallout from a series of scandals in late 2014 that saw the health minister and the speaker of parliament lose their jobs amid allegations of corruption. In April, the government bailed out the insolvent construction firm Váhostav-SK, owned by one of the major donors to Smer-SD. The move stirred controversy since the government rewrote the country’s bankruptcy law in a matter of days. In October, Smer-SD would move just as quickly to alter construction law to lure car company Jaguar Land Rover and a new factory to the country. The hasty nature of these changes will likely have longer-term implications for property rights and add to the inconsistency of the legal regime regulating development. The core construction law, for example, is part of a legal framework that dates from communist Czechoslovakia.
Among the positive developments, changes already underway in the judiciary at the end of 2014 crystallized further in 2015. The most significant of these saw Stefan Harabin, as of 2014 still the head of both the Supreme Court and the regulatory Judicial Council, further sidelined from power. Harabin’s power in the judiciary was emblematic of the cronyism and politicization of the court system, and his removal has both symbolic and practical impact. After years of delay, in September Slovakia successfully appointed a new judge to the European Court of Human Rights.
While many feared that media acquisitions by controversial investment group Penta—which in 2014 bought a stake in the publishing house Petit Press, the publisher of the country’s most important daily, Sme—will harm media independence, these claims have yet to be justified. Sme more or less maintained an independent editorial line throughout the year. However, Penta launched multiple lawsuits against other publishers in the country, targeting them for publishing opinion pieces that criticized their influence on state policy.
Early in the year, a petition-driven national referendum sought to reaffirm a ban on same-sex couples’ right to marry and adopt children, as well as require parental consent for participation in sexual education in schools. Though those who voted overwhelmingly favored the motions, turnout was well below the required 50 percent of eligible voters required to reach a quorum. In response, and in a significant development for the country’s civil society sector, the LGBTI community reorganized its outreach efforts. By the end of the year, public opinion polls found that a majority of Slovaks favored some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples, though parliamentary action on this looks unlikely in the near term.
Amid a lack of coherent political opposition, President Andrej Kiska has served as a check on the government. Though Kiska possesses little formal power, he used his position to speak out against the government’s policy regarding refugees throughout the year and reiterated Slovakia’s commitment to the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He also sought to use his power to confirm judges appointed by parliament to influence change in the judiciary.
Score Changes:
As a result, Slovakia’s Democracy Score improved from 2.64 to 2.61.
Outlook for 2016: Parliamentary elections will take place in March 2016, and the country will clearly benefit from an end to the campaign maneuvering that crippled meaningful action on key political issues for much of 2015. The outcome of the elections will be closely watched as Slovakia will hold the rotating EU Council presidency in the second half of 2016. The Slovak economy is expected to be among the fastest growing in the EU, and a return to power looks likely for the governing Smer party. Should the party further solidify its political influence and form a one-party government in parliament, Slovakia’s democratic development will likely deteriorate.
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.00 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 2.75 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3.25 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.75 |
Author: Benjamin Cunningham
Benjamin Cunningham is a Prague based writer and journalist. He is a frequent contributor to The Economist, Politico, The Guardian, and a columnist for the Slovak daily Sme.
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[24] “V trnavskej automobilke štrajk nebude, odbory a vedenie sa dohodli” [In Trnava autoworkers will not strike, unions and management agreed], Teraz, 26 June 2015, http://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/v-trnavskej-automobilke-strajk-nebude/142864-clanok.html
[25] “Slovensko má nový deník. Vyšlo první číslo novin s názvem Denník N” [Slovakia has a new daily. The first issue of a newspaper called Denník N], Hospodářske noviny, 30 January 2015, http://byznys.ihned.cz/c1-63458830-slovensko-ma-novy-denik-vyslo-prvni-cislo-novin-s-nazvem-dennik-n
[26] “Special Prosecutor Kováčik mum on Gorilla investigation,” The Slovak Spectator, 13 May 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20057303/special-prosecutor-kovacik-mum-on-gorilla-investigation.html
[27] “Penta filed fourth lawsuit against Denník N,” The Slovak Spectator, 5 October 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20061179/penta-filed-fourth-lawsuit-against-dennik-n.html
[28] Monika Tódová, “Penta podala na Denník N druhú žalobu, chce 5-tisíc eur a prevenciu” [Penta files second lawsuit against Denník N, wants five thousand euros and prevention], Denník N, 30 September 2015, https://dennikn.sk/255722/penta-podala-dennik-n-druhu-zalobu-chce-5-tisic-eur-posobit-preventivne/
[29] “Psychiatrist apologizes to Harabin,” The Slovak Spectator, 11 September 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20060299/psychiatrist-apologises-to-harabin.html; “RTVS vykreslila Harabina, skoro ako vraha’, tvrdí Oklamčak” [RTVS portrayed Harabin almost list a murderer, says Oklamčak], Pravda, 11 November 2015, http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/373565-rtvs-vykreslila-harabina-sk...
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[31] “Také kotrmelce ako od Matoviča občan nezažil, tvrdí Horský” [In addition to somersaults, citizens experience hard reality from Matovič], Pravda, 14 August 2015, http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/364546-fico-poprel-ze-by-mal-ucet-na-belize-ako-naznacuje-matovic/
[32] Michaela Terenzani, “Campaign heats up with Fico allegations,” The Slovak Spectator, 20 August 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20059661/campaign-heats-up-with-fico-allegations.html
[33] “Vydavatelia kíh prehovorili o pratikách Panta Rhei a J&T” [Book publishers speak out about the practices of Panta Rhei and J&T], Denník N, 2 March, 2015, https://dennikn.sk/61941/vydavatelia-ziadaju-panta-rhei-aby-nevnasala-na-trh-nekale-praktiky/?ref=in
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[35] Michaela Terenzani, “Kotleba may be stripped of power to administer EU funds,” The Slovak Spectator, 9 March 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056438/kotleba-may-be-stripped-of-power-to-administer-eu-funds.html
[36] “Kotleba employed illegally, region loses EU-funds,” The Slovak Spectator, 3 December 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20065430/kotleba-employed-illegally-region-loses-eu-funds.html
[37] “Referendum nič nemení. Kaliňák trvá na ubytovaní utečenov v Gabčíkove” [The referendum does not change anything. Kaliňák insists refugees will stay in Gabčikovo], Pravda, 3 August 2015, http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/363454-referendum-nic-nemeni-kalinak-trva-na-ubytovani-utecencov-v-gabcikove/
[38] “Referndum v Gabčíkove nič nezmení, s utečneckým táborom sa tam počita už roky” [Referendum in Gabčíkovo will not change anything, a refugee camp is foreseen for years], Aktualne.sk, 3 August 2015, http://aktualne.atlas.sk/referendum-v-gabcikove-nic-nezmeni-s-uteceneckym-taborom-sa-tam-pocita-uz-roky/slovensko/politika/
[39] Jana Liptakova, “MPs approve changes to construction law,” The Slovak Spectator, 2 October 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20061060/mps-approve-changes-to-construction-law.html
[40] “Minúta po Minúte” [Minute by Minute], Denník N, 10 October 2015, https://dennikn.sk/minuta/264845/?ref=viac
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[42] Roman Cuprik, “Village of 17 citizens exposes gap in Constitution,” The Slovak Spectator, 6 May 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20057206/village-of-17-citizens-exposes-gap-in-constitution.html
[43] “Financovanie kampane vo voľbách primátorov krajských miest” [Campaign financing for elections of mayor of regional capitals], Institute for Public Affairs, 16 March 2015, http://www.ivo.sk/7676/sk/aktuality/financovanie-kampane-vo-volbach-primatorov-krajskych-miest
[44] “Some villages still without websites,” The Slovak Spectator, 28 April 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056950/some-villages-still-without-websites.html
[45] “Alena Poláčková bude slovenskou sudkyňou Európskeho súdu pre ľudské práva” [Alena Poláčková will be the Slovak judge on the European Court of Human Rights], Sme, 29 September 2015, http://www.sme.sk/c/8019692/alena-polackova-bude-slovenskou-sudkynou-europskeho-sudu-pre-ludske-prava.html
[46] Michaela Terenzani, “Strasbourg Rejects Proposed Judges,” The Slovak Spectator, 13 October 2014, http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/55520/2/strasbourg_rejects_proposed_judges.html
[47] “EU Anti-Corruption Report, Slovakia Annex,” European Commission, 3 February 2014, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/corruption/anti-corruption-report/docs/2014_acr_slovakia_chapter_en.pdf
[48] Michaela Terenzani, “Harabin releases third convicted police officer,” The Slovak Spectator, 29 July 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20059114/harabin-releases-third-convicted-police-officer.html
[49] “Policajná inšpekcia čaká na ortiel sudcov” [Police inspection awaiting the verdict of judges], Pravda, 28 September 2015, http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/368956-policajna-inspekcia-caka-na-ortiel-sudcov/
[50] “Úder pre Harabina. Na najvyššom súde mu hrozí koniec” [Blow to Harabin. The Supreme Court threatens an end], Hospodarske noviny, 4 October 2015, http://hn.hnonline.sk/slovensko-119/uder-pre-harabina-na-najvyssom-sude-mu-hrozi-koniec-930076; “Harabin may lose judicial post,” The Slovak Spectator, 25 November 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20064656/harabin-may-lose-his-judicial-post.html
[51] “Dôvera voči súdom opäť klesla” [Trust in courts declined again], Via Iuris, 7 October 2015, http://www.viaiuris.sk/aktualne/568-dovera-voci-sudom-opat-kl.html
[52] “Podnikatelia sa stažujú na súdnictvo a zvýhodnovanie Váhostavu” [Entrepreneurs complain about the judiciary and favoring Váhostav], Business Alliance of Slovakia, 25 August, 2015, http://alianciapas.sk/category/pravidelne_aktivity/index_podnikatelskeho_prostredia/
[53] “2015 EU Justice Scorecard,” European Commission, http://ec.europa.eu/justice/effective-justice/files/justice_scoreboard_2015_en.pdf
[54] “Doing Business 2015,” World Bank, http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/GIAWB/Doing%20Business/Documents/Annual-Reports/English/DB15-Chapters/DB15-Report-Overview.pdf
[55] “Judiciary to get extra €45 million over next two years,” The Slovak Spectator, 8 April 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056835/judiciary-to-get-extra-45-million-over-two-years.html
[56] “Radičovej exporadca z kauzy Osrblie nastúpil do vazenia” [Radičová advisor admitted to prison over the Osrblie case], Sme, 22 September 2015, http://www.sme.sk/c/8010378/radicovej-exporadca-z-kauzy-osrblie-nastupil-do-vazenia.html
[57] Radka Minerachova, “New security clearance for judges implemented,” The Slovak Spectator, 2 October 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20061056/new-security-clearances-for-judges-implemented.html
[58] “Supreme Court: Police inspectorate is lawful,” The Slovak Spectator, 30 September 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20060938/supreme-court-police-inspectorate-is-lawful.html
[59] Monika Todová, “Proti ute4encom v Medveďove zasahovali policajti, ktorí nevedeli po anglicky” [Police who did not know English interfered with refugees in Medveďov], Denník N, 28 September 2015, https://dennikn.sk/253036/put-your-hands-stol-znela-vyzva-policajta-utecencom-medvedove/
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[66] “EU Anti-Corruption Report, Slovakia Annex,” European Commission, 3 February 2014, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/corruption/anti-corruption-report/docs/2014_acr_slovakia_chapter_en.pdf
[67] “Law against shell companies is empty,” The Slovak Spectator, 16 April 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056920/dennik-n-law-against-shell-companies-is-empty.html
[68] Marián Leško, “Je vo verejnom záujme, aby sme odzvonili schránkam” [Illuminating the public interest that we sound the death knell for mailbox companies], Denník N, 12 March 2015, https://dennikn.sk/70421/lesko-je-vo-verejnom-zaujme-aby-sme-odzvonili-schrankam/
[69] Peter Adamovsky, “New procurement law lacks teeth,” The Slovak Spectator, 30 March 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056651/new-procurement-law-lacks-teeth.html
[70] Roman Cuprik, “Actors in latest healthcare scandal are connected,” The Slovak Spectator, 24 September 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20060722/actors-in-latest-health-care-scandal-are-connected.html
[71] “New state insurer’s head has already been involved in scandals,” The Slovak Spectator, 5 October 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20061208/new-state-insurers-head-had-already-been-involved-in-scandals.html
[72] Radka Minerachova, “Whistleblowers gain protections,” The Slovak Spectator, 8 December 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20052882/whistleblowers-gain-protections.html
[73] “Bereaved whistleblowers in Fischer case cleared of wrongdoing,” The Slovak Spectator, 13 May 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20057333/bereaved-whistleblowers-in-fischer-case-cleared-of-wrongdoing.html
[74] “Ožíva kauza Gorila? Polícia priniesla závažné vyjadrenie” [Revival of the Gorilla scandal? Police make serious claims], TVNoviny.sk, 2 February 2015, http://www.tvnoviny.sk/domace/1784485_oziva-kauza-gorila-policia-priniesla-zavazne-vyjadrenie
[75] “Special prosecutor Kováčik skips Gorilla session —again,” The Slovak Spectator, 21 May 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20057486/special-prosecutor-kovacik-skips-gorilla-session-again.html
[76] “Gorilla at parliament,” The Slovak Spectator, 16 June 2015, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20058051/gorilla-at-parliament.html
Nations in Transit 2016 - Kazakhstan (Periodischer Bericht, Englisch)