Slovak Interior Ministry plans property sale to fund office renovations

Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok has announced a major restructuring plan for the Ministry of Interior's administrative properties in Bratislava. The initiative aims to consolidate operations from ten different locations into just four buildings to reduce operating costs and address the deteriorating condition of current facilities.

The plan involves the renovation of the ministry's headquarters on Pribinova Street, which currently suffers from structural issues such as leaking roofs, mold, and cracked walls. To fund this modernization, the ministry intends to sell or exchange approximately 14 properties and land parcels, valued by experts at roughly 65 million euros. The minister emphasized that the project should have a zero-net impact on the state budget, as the proceeds from real estate sales will finance the new construction and renovations.

While the government has approved the intent, the minister noted that the process is in its early stages, involving the preparation of project documentation and public tenders. The renovation of the Pribinova building is expected to begin around 2028 and last five years. Critics, including MP Jaroslav Spišiak, have characterized the plan as excessive luxury, while the ministry maintains the move is a necessary optimization of neglected assets.