Report from the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 conference
On September 19, 2025
On September 18 and 19, 2025, the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava (hereinafter referred to as "FLAW") hosted the expert sections of the important international professional conference Bratislava Legal Forum 2025, which was marked by stimulating discussions and interdisciplinary dialogue on current challenges of law in the digital era. Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 was held with the support of the Visegrad Fund, thanks to which it was possible to organize an event of such scope and international importance.
The professional program consisted of parallel sections focused on the theory and philosophy of law, constitutional and international law, environmental and climate law, Roman and ecclesiastical law, administrative, financial, commercial, labor and criminal law. Particular attention was paid to the issue of liability in the era of cyber threats, the possibilities of using artificial intelligence in public administration and the private sector, as well as issues of protecting fundamental rights in the digital environment. The extensive section of criminal law, divided into two parts (substantive and procedural law), focused on new dimensions of criminal law in the era of digitalization, including the issue of evidence, the regulation of crypto-assets, and also the impact of artificial intelligence in the decision-making process in criminal proceedings.
The conference had a distinctly international character. In addition to established experts from the domestic legal environment, guests from several foreign countries also spoke, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Romania, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. The representation of various countries from Europe and the world underlined the importance of the event as a space for open professional dialogue and exchange of experiences between different legal environments and cultures.
Both foreign and domestic experts presented contributions reflecting global trends as well as specific challenges in the legal order of the Slovak Republic and partner countries. The discussions demonstrated the need for intensive cooperation between academia, state authorities and the private sector, with repeated emphasis on the necessity of ethical and legal regulation of modern technologies.
The Bratislava Legal Forum annually creates a space for professional discussion in the field of law, and this year was also held with the support of significant partners. The event is funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU initiative, while the main professional partner of the conference is the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. The media partner of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 conference is TA3 television, which conveyed the atmosphere of the conference to a wide public. General partners of the conference include the National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic, FLAW Alumni Club, Slovenská sporiteľňa, Bratislava Law Review, Wolters Kluwer, European Law Students ' Association (ELSA) and the company St. Nicolaus.
The social program after the end of the professional sections of the conference continued the professional part of the event with an evening cruise on the Harmónia boat towards Devín and back, combined with a ceremonial reception. The social program of the conference created a suitable framework for the continuation of professional discussions in an informal environment and at the same time provided the participants with the opportunity to get acquainted with the significant historical landmarks of Bratislava.
The successful course of the conference confirmed that an interdisciplinary approach to solving legal issues of the digital society is essential. The discussions created a solid foundation for the final syntheses and recommendations, which were presented during the last part of the conference on September 19, 2025, as part of the presentation of the conclusions of the plenary session and the discussions of the individual sections. These outputs will also provide an important basis for further academic research and professional discussion in the future.