Policy Brief – Turning transparency into control: Lessons from Slovakia’s NGO law – Slovak case study, February 2026

This paper, authored by Michal Piško, Director of the Slovak chapter of the anti-corruption organisation Transparency International, for the European Movement in Albania (EMA), examines the development and implications of Slovakia’s 2025 NGO Law, widely criticised as a “Russian law” due to its restrictive impact on civil society organisations. It analyses: i) the historical and political context behind increasing hostility toward NGOs in Slovakia; ii) the legal and institutional aspects of the adopted legislation, including donor reporting obligations and the extension of Freedom of Information rules to NGOs; and iii) the constitutional and international concerns raised by the law, particularly regarding freedom of association, privacy, and disproportionate administrative burdens.

Given that Albania has only recently adopted its Law on Sponsorship, this paper also aims to draw comparative lessons by identifying both good and problematic practices from the Slovak experience. It seeks to inform civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders so they are better equipped to monitor the implementation process and ensure meaningful participation, while also engaging public institutions and other interest groups to prevent the law from becoming overly restrictive or administratively burdensome, and to safeguard the enabling environment for civil society organisations.

The paper concludes that the Slovak case demonstrates how transparency narratives can be used to stigmatise and restrict civil society, while highlighting the importance of independent institutions in safeguarding democratic freedoms.

This material was produced within the project “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowering CSOs for the EU accession process”, with the financial support of the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the European Movement in Albania and the authors, and does not necessarily reflect the views and positions of the European Union.

The project “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU accession process” is being implemented by the European Movement in Albania (EMA), with the financial support of the European Union – IPA Civil Society Facility 2021, in cooperation with the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) and the Center for Transparency and Freedom of Information (CTFI).

Policy Brief – Turning transparency into control: Lessons from Slovakia’s NGO law – Slovak case study, February 2026LOVAK CASE STUDY