Building trust in the rule of law can also be supported by the external communication of courts

The Vice-President of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic, Marián Trenčan, participated on June 26, 2025, in the CEELI Institute conference in Prague focused on court communication with the public. He spoke as part of a panel titled ‘The Big Picture – The Rule of Law Under Pressure”.

The CEELI Institute is an independent organization dedicated to promoting the rule of law in the Czech Republic. The topic of the conference, attended by judges from the highest judicial institutions of European countries, was the growing pressure on judicial institutions in the Central European region. The discussion also addressed potential responses of courts to pressure on democratic values, political interference, and increasing public distrust in the legal system.

“Together with judges from European courts, we also discussed how political power attempts to undermine the values of the rule of law, often through new legislative measures. We heard various perspectives on the role that courts and judges can play in strengthening the rule of law and public trust in justice,” summarized the Vice-President of the Court, Marián Trenčan.

During the conference, judges also addressed the issue of how media narratives and disinformation affect public trust in the judiciary, and how courts should respond to these challenges without compromising their impartiality.

“Effective communication strengthens the legitimacy of the judiciary in society and helps to increase public trust in judicial decision-making. At this event, it was also emphasized that European trends point to the need for courts to communicate with the public as clearly as possible,” stated Marián Trenčan.

 Vice-President of the Supreme Administrative Court Marián Trenčan at the CEELI Institute conference in Prague. Photo © CEELI INSTITUTE Prague.