In its ruling of September 17, 2025, the District Court in Prešov prohibited the municipality of Torysa from demolishing the home of a family from the Roma community. This is a landmark decision, the first case in which a Slovak court has protected a dwelling threatened with demolition by the local government.

Ms. Mária, who lives with her children in the village of Torysa, expressed great relief:
“I am delighted with this court decision. For me, it means that I will not be out on the street with my children. I was afraid that I would be left homeless with my children. I couldn’t sleep because of it. Now, after the court’s decision, I will be able to sleep better.”

The court confirmed that even dwellings without a building permit can be considered a “home” within the meaning of the Slovak Constitution and the Convention on Human Rights.

Our colleague Michala Cilli said of the court’s decision:
“This decision is fundamental. For the first time in Slovakia, the court has prohibited the local government from demolishing the home of a family from the Roma community and confirmed that such dwellings are also homes within the meaning of the Constitution and international law. This is an important step towards protecting the human rights of people from marginalized Roma communities.”

We provided Ms. Mária with free legal representation in this case as part of our strategic litigation program.

You can find more information about the case and the decision itself in our press release here.