Slovakia's Environment Ministry dispute threatens €450 million EU recovery funding

State Secretary Filip Kuffa of the Slovak Ministry of Environment says the European Commission has confirmed that the contested zoning decisions for four national parks put €450 million from the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan at risk. He quoted the Commission’s email: “the Commission strongly requests that the disputed resolutions be either cancelled or amended so they do not create any doubts.”

Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba rejected Kuffa’s statements, calling them “fabrications” and insisting the zoning was carried out properly, removing loopholes for corruption. The ministries are finalising a cooperation memorandum to address the Commission’s concerns, and the government must decide whether to amend or revoke the resolutions; otherwise the funding remains in jeopardy.