Slovakia risks losing millions in EU environmental funds

The Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) of the Slovak Republic has warned that the country is at risk of losing millions of euros in European Union environmental funding. An audit revealed that the Slovak Ministry of Environment has changed its approach compared to previous periods, resulting in zero co-financing contracts being signed by the end of May, despite several projects having already received support from the European Commission.

The funds in question are part of the EU’s LIFE programme for 2021–2027, which is the primary financial instrument for environmental protection and climate change mitigation. Henrieta Crkoňová, Vice President of the NKÚ, noted that these funds, which can cover up to 75 percent of eligible expenditures for approved projects, could instead be allocated to other EU member states if not utilized.

In the 2026 state budget, 5 million euros have been allocated for co-financing, but none has been spent as of the end of May. This marks a significant shift from the 2014–2020 period, during which Slovakia was allocated over 43 million euros and the Ministry of Environment supported 23 projects totaling 25 million euros.