Czech President Petr Pavel warns against undermining trust in judiciary

President Petr Pavel cautioned that describing courts as biased, politicised or activist erodes public confidence in the legal system. He made the remarks at a conference on the European Commission’s 2025 rule‑of‑law report, organised by democratic‑watch NGOs.

The ANO‑led government has asked the Constitutional Court to reject Pavel’s competence lawsuit, which he filed after being excluded from the Czech delegation to a NATO summit following a provisional court order. The government also seeks to have judge Pavel Šámala removed from any further rulings in the case, accusing him of judicial activism. Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc said the judge’s pre‑emptive measure interfered with the government’s constitutional position.

Pavel stressed that an independent judiciary is a pillar of democracy, important for citizens, investors and the state’s reputation. He cited lingering challenges such as slow court digitisation, lack of electronic case filing, ongoing corruption, conflicts of interest, and insufficient transparency of media ownership, while noting upcoming legislation on civil‑service standards.