GET THE BALANCE RIGHT: INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN SLOVAKIA DURING EU ACCESSION AND MEMBERSHIP

This study argues that despite of the formal dominance of the Slovak parliament over the government as originally laid down in Slovak constitution, the government manages to dominate Slovak constitutional system at the expense of the parliament. Firstly, this happened through an extensive use of government's legislative powers. Later on, the EU accession of Slovakia predominantly an executive affair - strengthened this dominance and led to 2001 constitutional amendment. Despite another constitutional change initiated by the parliament in 2003, which was to re-establish the institutional balance, the parliament is still unable to control and influence the government with regard to EU matters.