Tomáš Taraba disputes audit findings and removes State Secretary

Slovak Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba has responded to a report by the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) regarding the utilization of EU LIFE program funds. The NKÚ report criticized the Ministry of Environment for failing to conclude co-financing contracts for nature protection and climate change projects, noting that no funds were utilized by the May deadline despite allocated budgets.

Taraba rejected the findings, accusing the NKÚ of lobbying for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the expense of the state budget. He stated that the ministry refuses to fund projects that rely heavily on taxpayer money for what he termed “pseudo-projects,” preferring instead to support initiatives where EU funds cover over 95% of the costs and benefit scientific institutions rather than NGOs.

In a separate administrative move, Taraba removed State Secretary Filip Kuffa from the leadership of two committees: one dealing with the state's pre-emption rights and another managing inter-ministerial affairs regarding state-owned land in national parks. Marek Chovant has been appointed to lead the committee responsible for land delimitation.