Consolidation and Judges’ Salaries
According to the European Network of Judicial Councils, judicial independence is the central pillar of any constitutional system. According to the European Association of Judges, an important element of judicial independence is the material independence of judges.
Judges’ remuneration must be constitutionally guaranteed and not reduced to their disadvantage after appointment, except in the case of an economic crisis, when there is a general reduction of salaries in comparable public services, and judges must be treated no less favorably than other public budget-paid employees.
“If the legislative and executive branches decide to intervene in the right to the material security of judges in such a situation, such a measure must not be arbitrary and must be established by law containing objective, predictable, and transparent rules. Such intervention must also be exceptional and temporary,” emphasized the President of the Judicial Council, Marcela Kosová.
At its session held on September 16, 2025, the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic adopted a resolution respecting the justified objective of general interest, based on which exceptional reasons for reducing judges’ salaries may arise. However, it strongly warns that such a measure must be time-limited, appropriate, and proportionate, and must not be permanent.
“The Judicial Council will closely monitor whether the intervention in judges’ salaries, justified by the need to consolidate public finances, meets all these criteria at all times, including its temporary nature,” concluded Marcela Kosová.
Judges’ remuneration must be constitutionally guaranteed and not reduced to their disadvantage after appointment, except in the case of an economic crisis, when there is a general reduction of salaries in comparable public services, and judges must be treated no less favorably than other public budget-paid employees.
“If the legislative and executive branches decide to intervene in the right to the material security of judges in such a situation, such a measure must not be arbitrary and must be established by law containing objective, predictable, and transparent rules. Such intervention must also be exceptional and temporary,” emphasized the President of the Judicial Council, Marcela Kosová.
At its session held on September 16, 2025, the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic adopted a resolution respecting the justified objective of general interest, based on which exceptional reasons for reducing judges’ salaries may arise. However, it strongly warns that such a measure must be time-limited, appropriate, and proportionate, and must not be permanent.
“The Judicial Council will closely monitor whether the intervention in judges’ salaries, justified by the need to consolidate public finances, meets all these criteria at all times, including its temporary nature,” concluded Marcela Kosová.
