In a damning institutional verdict on the Slovak government’s capacity to govern, the country’s Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) has revealed sweeping failures in public spending, strategic planning, and democratic accountability under Prime Minister Robert Fico’s administration. The 2024 report accuses state institutions of chronic mismanagement and a “culture of irresponsibility,” citing €2.2 billion in healthcare bailouts, the misuse of EU recovery funds, and the neglect of critical infrastructure. It warns that without urgent reform, Slovakia faces deepening economic stagnation, crumbling services, and democratic decline. Despite NKÚ’s independence and international recognition, the government has shown little willingness to act, raising serious concerns about its commitment to transparency, sustainability, and the rule of law.
The 2024 annual report from Slovakia’s Supreme Audit Office (Najvyšší kontrolný úrad, or NKÚ) delivers a comprehensive and deeply critical assessment of the state’s ability to manage public finances, implement strategic reforms, and meet basic standards of good governance. While the report avoids direct political commentary, its content stands as a powerful institutional indictment of structural dysfunction that has only deepened under the country’s new government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Fico, a long-time political figure and head of the populist-nationalist Smer-SD party, returned to power in October 2023 after serving three previous terms as prime minister. His latest government has attracted widespread concern for undermining judicial independence, rolling back transparency mechanisms, and weakening checks and balances.
Despite its technical language and methodical tone, the NKÚ report offers an unmistakable message: Slovak public institutions are failing to deliver efficient, accountable governance — and the government appears unwilling or unable to confront this crisis.
Systemic Mismanagement and Institutional Decay
The report catalogues wide-ranging dysfunction across state sectors, underscoring a chronic pattern of mismanagement, blurred responsibilities, and evasion of accountability. According to NKÚ, institutions across the board suffer from “a culture of irresponsibility,” reinforced by the absence of measurable targets and strategic planning. These findings, while rooted in long-standing deficiencies, take on new urgency under a government that has shown little inclination to pursue reform.
Healthcare, a sector plagued by financial instability, emerges as a prime example. State hospitals have repeatedly relied on emergency bailouts, with more than €2.2 billion disbursed since 2003. Rather than addressing structural issues, this cycle of debt and rescue continues, highlighting a “fundamentally unsustainable model,” as NKÚ warns. Yet the Fico government has so far failed to propose viable reforms or commit to transparency in the allocation of healthcare funding.
Water infrastructure presents another case of dereliction. The report highlights how essential maintenance obligations are regularly ignored, with funds redirected to less essential municipal projects such as parks or roads. This disregard for legal responsibilities reflects what the audit body characterises as a dangerous erosion of state oversight — an erosion now accelerating under a government with a record of weakening public institutions.
Economic Myopia and Misuse of EU Funds
The NKÚ is unequivocal in its assessment of Slovakia’s economic direction: the country lacks clear strategic objectives and is missing critical opportunities for growth. Particularly damning is the comparison to Poland, which has leveraged over €160 billion in European Union funds for long-term infrastructure and green transition. In contrast, Slovakia faces an estimated €25 billion shortfall in sustainable investments — a gap the current government shows no sign of closing.
Instead, the NKÚ criticises the “inefficient use” of EU recovery funds and the absence of coherent investment strategies. As the Fico government has made political capital out of national sovereignty and scepticism toward Brussels, its inability to effectively use available EU resources risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy — weakening public services while fuelling eurosceptic narratives.
Democratic Oversight Undermined
While the NKÚ maintains its constitutional independence and professional standing — validated through an international peer review by partners including the United States, Poland, Finland, and Hungary — its ability to influence policy depends on parliamentary and governmental responsiveness. In 2024, the audit office submitted 38 reports to parliament, prompting 36 policy action points. However, real-world implementation remains opaque.
The current administration’s actions signal a broader reluctance to engage with independent oversight. Despite NKÚ’s legislative proposals and warnings, there is little evidence the Fico government is heeding expert advice. This neglect of institutional checks risks entrenching a political climate hostile to transparency and reform — a warning reinforced by the audit office’s consistent appeals for greater governmental accountability.
From Strategic Vision to Political Reality
The NKÚ’s strategic plan for 2024–2026 — focusing on sustainability, effective investment, and international collaboration — stands in stark contrast to the governing coalition’s priorities. As the audit body promotes responsible digitalisation, gender equality in public service, and climate-conscious reforms, the political leadership instead appears preoccupied with undermining watchdog institutions and reversing transparency measures.
The audit office also demonstrates leadership on the international stage, securing the presidency of EUROSAI (European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions) for the 2027–2030 term. This recognition further isolates the Fico government, which increasingly positions itself against European standards of good governance.
A Battle for Institutional Integrity
The 2024 NKÚ report is not just a bureaucratic account of public sector inefficiency — it is a critical moment in Slovakia’s democratic reckoning. The findings reveal a governance landscape marked by stagnation, short-termism, and denial. And while these issues have accumulated over time, the Fico government bears growing responsibility for perpetuating the very dysfunctions the audit body now so urgently exposes.
As public confidence in state institutions erodes, the need for independent oversight grows more acute. The NKÚ’s work stands as a bulwark against further democratic backsliding. But unless the political leadership acts on its recommendations — rather than ignoring or undermining them — Slovakia’s path will veer further away from transparency, sustainability, and the rule of law.
