Statement of the Chancellery of the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic and the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic

Cancellation of the architectural competition

The Chancellery of the Supreme Administrative Court, in cooperation with the Chancellery of the Supreme Court announces the cancellation of the currently announced architectural competition “Renovation of the Building of the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic”. The reason is a fundamental change in circumstances, which resulted from the need to create a dignified and functional seat for two separate, constitutionally enshrined institutions – the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court.

At the time of preparation and publication of the competition, there was no joint expert discussion of the judicial institutions on the possibility of returning to their original seats in the building on Župné námestie, and this consideration was not part of the original assignment. The change in approach occurred with the appointment of a new President of the Supreme Court, who opened this topic and, together with the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, agreed on the suitability of restoring the historical building of the Supreme Court as the future seat for both institutions. The building on Župné námestie by the architect Vladimír Dedeček provides sufficient space and an architectural framework for the dignified placement of two courts in one work.

Today, the reality is that the Slovak Republic has two equal supreme judicial institutions that complement each other in the exercise of justice. A single seat is therefore a logical step resulting not only from the architectural but also from the organizational framework of cooperation between the two courts. Moreover, this intention was recently confirmed by the signing of the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation (Bratislava, July 3, 2025), which, in addition to the exchange of information and experience, also explicitly focuses on creating the conditions for a dignified seat for both institutions. The Memorandum thus represents another argumentative support for the revision of the current assignment and the announcement of a new architectural competition.

The decision to cancel the competition is based on the provision of Section 57(2) of the Public Procurement Act, which allows for the cancellation of a competition if the circumstances under which it was announced have changed. Continuing the ongoing competition when the basic assumptions have changed would not be transparent or fair to its participants.

The new architectural competition will allow for the preparation of a solution that will provide a dignified and modern background for the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, contribute to a more efficient use of public resources, and at the same time preserve the architectural legacy of Vladimír Dedeček. The new assignment will follow on from his original concept – two clearly separated parts in one building that use common spaces. Thanks to this solution, the renovation of Block D will not be necessary, thus preserving an important part of the original architectural concept.

A significant benefit of the decision is the fact that the state will gain significant long-term financial savings by having the seats of both courts in one building, which was originally intended for the administration of justice. This step is therefore not only a symbolic expression of the unity of the judiciary, but also a practical consolidation measure in favor of the efficient management of public finances.

Participants in the original architectural competition can also participate without any restrictions in a new competition that will be announced and that will preserve the conditions of the original competition to the maximum extent possible. This procedure is a guarantee of transparency and fairness.

The Chancellery of the Supreme Court, in cooperation with the Chancellery of the Supreme Administrative Court and the Slovak Chamber of Architects, will prepare a new architectural competition assignment so that the competition can be published in the coming months.

The building designed by architect Dedeček on Župné námestie will once again become a functional workspace and a symbol of the dignity of the Slovak judiciary as a whole for future generations.