Accessing Geological Heritage in Slovakia: Between Politics and Law

Abstract

The results of geotourism development in Slovakia do not correspond much to the idea of geotourism as a social priority, nor to the declared increased interest in all forms of responsible tourism. The development of geotourism, in the strict sense of the word, is a political phenomenon; here, it exists outside the legal framework. This paper examines the question of whether, to what extent, and in what manner the promotion of leading principles (such as the idea of sustainability and its manifestation in various forms of regulated tourism) should be enshrined in positive law, and what specific benefits this might bring for the development of geotourism in Slovakia. Given the questions posed are of a kind that jurisprudence may answer, the methods chosen are drawn from legal science, though also intersecting with several other social sciences. Accordingly, the approach is one of doctrinal interpretation, based on the scientific study of valid law. Slovak law as a whole, specifically as it relates to the implementation of sustainable development and regulated forms of tourism, thus sets the outer limits of the application of these interpretative methods (including linguistic, historical, and logical interpretation of law, among others). The article answers the question in the affirmative way and outlines prospects for positive change should current approaches be changed.