Slovakia

Slovakia falls into the lower-middle ranks (rank 20) in the category of vertical accountability.

Elections are free and fair, with liberal provisions for party and candidate registration. The State Commission for Elections, whose members are nominated by political parties and judicial institutions, supervises elections and monitors party financing. Enforcement of financial transparency rules is weak.

All citizens can vote. The electoral system is based on a proportional representation system with a 5% threshold for entering parliament. Political parties in Slovakia are often highly centralized around their leaders and lack strong local structures. Mainstream parties have moved away from liberal values, and several far-right movements are active in the country.

Public institutions in Slovakia generally respond well to information requests, with a standard response time of eight days. Some state enterprises and local governments occasionally seek to withhold information.

Slovakia falls into the sample’s middle ranks (rank 15) with regard to diagonal accountability.

While media freedom in Slovakia is constitutionally guaranteed, the parliament’s appointment of the public media service’s director results in state capture. Media ownership concentration has increased, with oligarchs controlling key private media outlets. Politicians frequently seek to intimidate journalists.

Civil society groups operate freely, but the Fico government has plans to impose new limitations and “foreign agent” registration requirements on organizations receiving foreign funding. Labor and employer groups consult with the government through the tripartite Economic and Social Council, as well as through various advisory bodies at the ministerial level.

Some social welfare and environmental organizations also possess sufficient organizational strength to independently formulate policies and engage in a collaborative policymaking process with the government. Environmental groups in particular have had difficulty in influencing policy and winning widespread public support.

In the category of horizontal accountability, Slovakia falls into the sample’s bottom ranks (rank 28).

The independent Supreme Audit Office has improved its auditing capabilities over time, but follow-up on its recommendations is inconsistent. The Office for Personal Data Protection has limited scope and powers.

The judiciary in Slovakia is formally autonomous, but recent decisions have indicated a lack of independence. Corruption within the judiciary is a significant concern. Judicial selection appears to be influenced by social connections rather than merit. Despite a range of transparency provisions, corruption remains a serious problem more broadly.

Civil rights are guaranteed by law. However, the Roma and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country, face significant discrimination and rights violations. The parliament’s resources are limited, and committees are relatively weak and largely controlled by coalition parties, hampering the body’s ability to monitor the executive.

Slovakia is the SGI 2024’s worst performer (rank 30) in the category of coordination.

The government office has limited capacity to evaluate policy proposals from line ministries and ensure they are aligned with the government’s overall priorities. The Legislative Council of the Government assesses draft laws, but has minimal influence the process of preparing policy proposals.

Ministries have substantial autonomy, with coordination typically occurring during the formal review process, after the legislation is developed. Government councils serve a largely sectoral advisory role, with some having cross-sectoral focus. Informal coalition council meetings involving the leaders of coalition parties sometimes serve a coordinating role.

Public service provision standards for decentralized functions in areas such as social assistance, land use, waste management and public transport are poorly defined. Compliance monitoring is fragmented.

In the category of consensus-building, Slovakia falls into the sample’s bottom ranks (rank 28).

While institutional mechanisms are in place to give the government access to scientific expertise, the system is unstable and often bypassed. Recent governments have been openly antagonistic toward experts.

The Economic and Social Council (ESC) serves as a consultative and coordinating body for the government and social partners at the national level, especially trade unions and employers’ associations. The government is not required to follow the ESC’s recommendations, and often fails to incorporate comments from nonstate members.

The ESC also incorporates recommendations from social welfare groups, and various ministries have consultation councils that deal with other social issues. Consultation with environmental groups has been more irregular, and the new Fico government has had antagonistic relations with environmental organizations. Open data efforts are underdeveloped.

Slovakia performs relatively poorly in international comparison (rank 22) in the category of sensemaking.

The government has had established analytical units within ministries to focus on strategic foresight and innovation since 2016. These units explore ideas, provide guidance and organize activities, operating independently. Various other institutes provide reliable macroeconomic and fiscal analyses and forecasts.

The government office does not have a central unit overseeing regulatory impact assessments (RIAs). The practice was introduced in 2001, and the methodology has been improved over time, but implementation has been erratic.

Systemic sustainability checks are not legally required as part of RIA, but may be performed. In practice, sustainability checks are neither prominent nor conducted systematically. Ex post evaluation is not required by law, and the country receives very low international ratings in this area.

Slovakia performs relatively poorly (rank 25) in the category of economic sustainability.

The country lags behind both EU and global averages in circular economy practices, with only 5% of secondary materials reintroduced into the economy. A national infrastructure protection program has been established. Decarbonization targets are ambitious, but the country lags in passing enabling legislation and necessary regulations.

Slovakia spends less on active labor market policies than most EU countries, and some labor measures are less effective than in other EU countries. Long-term unemployment among marginalized groups, especially the Roma, is a persistent concern. Universal social protection is provided for all workers.

Taxes and especially social contributions make up a relatively high share of GDP. The tax system does not effectively internalize negative externalities, with the need for CO2 pricing seen as particularly urgent. Governments and parliaments have resorted to populist deficit spending particularly in the run-up to elections.

In the category of social sustainability, Slovakia falls into the sample’s bottom ranks (rank 29).

Education expenditures are among the lowest in the EU. Despite recent increases, teachers’ salaries remain low. Student performance has declined, and PISA results are below the OECD average. The government has responded by implementing a large-scale curricula reform.

Social assistance programs offer monetary and in-kind benefits to individuals in need. Housing conditions are a concern particularly among the Roma population. The country has a high mortality rates from preventable causes, due to little focus on preventive care. Doctors have launched large-scale protests regarding the poor state of the health services.

Gender equality strategies and institutions have limited effectiveness. Maternity leave is provided, along with some financial benefits for parents. Childcare capacities do not meet demand. All children will have a right to attend kindergarten as of 2025, but municipalities complain of insufficient financial support. Migrants face numerous obstacles to integration.

Slovakia performs relatively poorly (rank 23) in the area of environmental sustainability.

Total fossil fuel consumption is decreasing due to improved energy efficiency and increased use of biomass. Transport emissions have risen significantly since 1990, creating a major challenge for achieving climate neutrality. The country will receive tens of billions of euros for decarbonization projects in coming years.

A long-term environmental strategy is in place, with general goals and defined indicators. However, implementation and monitoring have been slow. Air pollution is a concern. A significant share of the population is not connected to the public sewer system.

The environmental strategy aims to increase biodiversity protections. Zoning plans for national parks have been particularly controversial. The country actively participates in international environmental agreements, with a particular focus on the Danube and Carpathian regions.