Slovakia Ministry of Interior faces scandal over Russian components in traffic cameras

Russian components traffic cameras security scandal Ministry of Interior data leakage

The Slovak Ministry of Interior is facing a political scandal following the discovery of Russian components in two traffic monitoring cameras installed as part of a pilot program funded by the EU Recovery Plan. The National Security Authority (NBÚ) confirmed the presence of Russian hardware and identified significant security vulnerabilities, including approximately 260 security flaws in the code.

Opposition members from Progresívne Slovensko (PS) have alleged that the devices could serve as tools for Russian espionage, claiming they contained pre-set Russian phone numbers that could allow unauthorized remote control and access to connected networks. In response to the findings, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok announced the removal of the cameras, the termination of cooperation with the supplier Soitron, and stated that the ministry had been misled regarding the equipment's origins.

The incident has led to calls for the Minister's resignation and a criminal complaint filed by the opposition. Prime Minister Robert Fico has defended the Minister, while the Office for Personal Data Protection has initiated proceedings to investigate the potential for data leaks.