Slovakia and Czechia implement administrative and electoral reforms

The Slovak government has approved a new statute for the Pandemic Commission aimed at increasing operational efficiency and reducing administrative burdens. The changes include reducing the number of permanent members, allowing for online meetings, and enabling the commission to convene only as needed rather than on an automatic schedule. The Ministry of Health noted that the previous rigid model was often time-consuming and not always proportionate to the issues being discussed.

In the Czech Republic, discussions regarding the high cost of elections have emerged, with the state spending approximately 1.063 billion CZK on recent elections. Experts suggest that savings could be achieved by streamlining election commissions or merging smaller municipalities. While online voting is being considered as a potential cost-saving measure—noting Estonia’s successful implementation—the Czech Ministry of Interior has stated that electronic voting is not currently planned, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the secrecy and security of in-person voting.