Slovakia catches up with the Internet era in its new security and defence strategies

After 15 years, Slovakia aligns its key defence and security policy documents with 21st century challenges.

Ivan Korčok and Jaroslav Naď presented Security and Defence Strategy.Ivan Korčok and Jaroslav Naď presented Security and Defence Strategy. (Source: TASR)

Slovakia belongs to countries where public opinion remains split concerning its place in the world, with many people seeing their country as a bridge between East and West. The Matovič government has now pushed through key documents to put an end to ambiguities - at least at the official level.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

In late January 2021, parliament approved the new wording of the country’s Security Strategy and Defence Strategy, as proposed by Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korčok (SaS) and Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď (OLaNO). Slovakia thus finally updated these documents after 15 years, after repeated failed attempts to do so under the previous governments led by Smer. The documents also reflect the pandemic, stating that it highlighted Slovakia’s defence pitfalls.

SkryťTurn off ads

The document cited increasing geopolitical competition and a decline in multilateralism among the current pandemic, along with political instability in the ‘European neighborhood’ as the driving reasons for the update.

“Slovakia badly needed a new security strategy that would sufficiently reflect the changes in Slovakia and the world since 2005, and clearly define our life and strategic security interests,” Minister Korčok commented.

The new defence strategy is to focus on meeting the demands of changing international climate, which means tackling the challenges of hybrid warfare, disinformation, terrorism, and entities that violate international regulations.

Furthermore, a new heavy mechanised brigade is to be built by 2032 and new equipment is to be purchased, which will aid Slovakia’s cybernetic warfare capabilities. All these actions are being taken with the recognition that NATO is, and will be, a key pillar in the defence and security of the Slovak Republic.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

Janka, a blogger, during the inauguration of the first flight to Athens with Aegean Airlines at the airport in Bratislava on September 14, 2023.

A Czech rail operator connects Prague and Ukraine, Dominika Cibulková endorses Pellegrini, and Bratislava events.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad