The Judicial Council has a new member elected by judges

On 25 March 2026, judges elected a judge of the Regional Court in Trnava, Martin Žovinec, as their new representative on the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic. The election took place at assemblies of judges in the Western-Slovak electoral district, which comprises the judicial districts of the Regional Courts in Bratislava, Trnava, Nitra, and Trenčín, together with the Specialized Criminal Court and the Administrative Court in Bratislava.

Out of a total of 668 eligible voters, 424 votes were cast, of which 385 were valid. Martin Žovinec received 209 valid votes, while his opposing candidate, Zuzana Kučerová, a judge of the Regional Court in Bratislava, received 176 valid votes from judges. Martin Žovinec, a judge of the Regional Court in Trnava, was nominated for membership of the Judicial Council by the judges’ council of the Regional Court in Trnava.

The President of the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic called the election of a member of the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic by judges in the Western-Slovak electoral district following the end of the term of office of Judicial Council member Dana Jelinková Dudzíková, who resigned on 19 January 2026. During the ceremonial announcement of the election results on 26 March 2026, Martin Žovinec received his certificate of appointment from Pavol Tomáš, Chair of the Main Election Commission, thus officially becoming the newest member of the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic.

“The Judicial Council plays an important role in safeguarding the independence of the judiciary, protecting its integrity, and building public trust in the justice system. Without an independent judiciary, there can be no rule of law or protection of the rights of citizens, who are the source of state power.
That is why it is important for the Judicial Council to be composed of individuals with professional expertise, moral integrity, and a sense of responsibility. I believe that you will likewise contribute to this goal during your term.” stated Pavol Tomáš in his speech addressed to the newly elected member of the Judicial Council.
                                                                                                                                                                
“In the election, the judges placed their trust in you, and that is a great honour, but above all, a very great responsibility. The work of the Judicial Council is demanding. It is made up of individuals and distinct personalities, but as a whole it must guarantee the legitimacy of the judiciary and, as a whole, ensure the fulfilment of its constitutional and statutory powers,” stated Marcela Kosová, President of the Judicial Council.

The ceremonial event was also attended by Boris Susko, Minister of Justice of the Slovak Republic, who stated in his speech that “the Judicial Council, as a body of judicial legitimacy, plays a key role in safeguarding the independence of the judiciary as well as in the functioning of the judicial system as a whole. Therefore, it is important that members of the Judicial Council are of a high professional standard and also possess moral integrity, in order to secure public trust in the legal system, the rule of law, and the judiciary as such. I would like to thank both candidates for accepting the responsibility that arises from standing as candidates for membership of the Judicial Council.”

František Mozner, President of the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic, emphasized that “it is very important that the Judicial Council provide space for open dialogue, the exchange of information, and the sharing of opinions, because the best solutions are found through discussion.”

Pavol Naď, President of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic, noted that he is pleased by the “strong interest of the Judicial Council´s leadership, as well as all its members, in matters concerning administrative judiciary.”

Martin Žovinec thanked all the judges who gave him their vote. He stated that he wants to assure “all my colleagues that I will work at the Judicial Council in such a way as to contribute to the adoption of decisions that will be beneficial for the Slovak judiciary and that will also help strengthen the credibility of, and public respect for, court decision-making, the work of judges, and the legal system as a whole.”