The Procedural Framework of Administrative Liability in Slovakia: Proceedings, Remedies and Enforcement in Environmental Matters

Abstract

This article examines the procedural architecture of administrative punishment in Slovakia with an emphasis on environmental protection cases. It maps the interplay between the Act on Infractions and the Administrative Procedure Code, describing how environmental offences are detected, clarified and adjudicated, including the distribution of competences among authorities and the procedural status of key actors. The analysis covers first-instance proceedings, summary forms of procedure, ordinary and extraordinary remedies and the enforcement of administrative decisions, including the role of administrative courts. Particular attention is paid to systemic weaknesses of the current framework, fragmentation and the absence of codification for ‘mixed’ administrative offences (notably those committed by legal entities and entrepreneurs), inconsistent protection standards (e.g. reformatio in peius), deficits in predictability and data availability and recurring difficulties with sanction proportionality. The article concludes with reform-oriented recommendations aimed at greater coherence, transparency and effectiveness of administrative liability enforcement.