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Slovakia

This page contains specific information about the planning and implementation of smart villages in Slovakia. The information aims to orient people on policy planning, key contacts and resources on smart villages. However, it neither aims to be fully comprehensive, nor necessarily reflects the official government or European Commission position.

Explore how smart villages are being implemented in Slovakia.

Key CAP contact(s) :

Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informati-sation of the Slovak Republic
Key contact(s) :
Denisa Žiláková (Head of Central Coordination Body)
Email : denisa.zilakova@mirri.gov.sk
Website : https://www.mirri.gov.sk
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic
Key contact(s) :
Jana Juhászová (Chief of Rural Development Program Project Support Department)
Email : jana.juhaszova@lang.gov.sk
Website : https://www.mpsr.sk/en/

Support for Smart Villages under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

  • The CAP Strategic Plan for the 2023-2027 programming period has been prepared and published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic. There is no specific unit, neither personnel in charge of smart agenda at the Ministry yet.
  • Smart village strategies will be supported under the CAP Strategic Plan Specific Objective: ‘Promoting employment, growth, social inclusion and local development in rural areas, including bio-economy and sustainable forestry’. In particular, actions related to rural entrepreneurship, diversification of agricultural activities, tourism, cultural heritage, craft production, services, infrastructure, including smart infrastructure, as well as capacity building, will be supported.
  • The specific focus of the project support will be determined by the bottom-top initiative, which will allow to take local needs into consideration. Smart agenda will be supported under LEADER, focusing on reducing regional disparities. These Measures will be implemented through 50 Local Action Groups (currently 110 LAGs) and allocation of EUR 152 m.
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Further information on CAP & smart villages :

Regional Conference on Smart Rural in Nitra region ( 24/10/2019 ) - National Rural Network of Slovakia (Language : Slovak)

Key NRN contact(s) :

National Rural Network of Slovakia
Key contact(s) :
Simona Radecká (Coordinator for LAG)
Email : radecka@arvi.sk
Website : http://www.nsrv.sk/?pl=28

Activities of the National Rural Network (NRN) on smart villages

  • The National Rural Network (NRN) is familiar with the ‘smart villages’ concept and related developments and has an interest in working on the topic. In the past, some of NRN Support Unit and its regional antennas staff were involved in smart villages events and European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Thematic Group. However, the NRN itself has not collected any information on smart strategies in Slovakia, nor supported any related initiatives.
  • The NRN aims to eliminate duplication of efforts in relation to existing regional strategies and support the inclusion of the Smart Villages concept into the development of existing strategies. The NRN also aims at building on existing local capacities (such as that of the LEADER Local Action Groups).
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Support provided through other national/ regional policies & initiatives

  • Some of the operational programmes (OPs) – financed from the Structural Funds and national co-financing – can potentially support initiatives relevant for the Smart Villages concept: for instance, the OP on Environmental Quality supports various energy efficiency initiatives; the Integrated Regional OP aims to improve the quality of life and the provision of public services in the regions, cities and municipalities; and the OP for Effective Public Administration finances pilot smart regional strategies – including towns and villages – in three regions.
  • The Ministry of Economy developed a guidance on ‘Support for innovative solutions in Slovak cities’ with a focus on cities, presenting both relevant smart examples and possible sources of financing.
  • Generally, there are gaps in common understanding and interpretation of ‘smart’ strategies, further to that, lack of coordination among relevant stakeholders, not only on governmental level, but also towards third sector organisations.
  • Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation has prepared a funding tool called OP Slovensko (OP Slovakia) which will merge nine Operational Programmes in one. The new OP will comprise five main goals, with smart strategies to be included in the first goal ‘More competitive and smarter Europe’: developing science, research, building smart cities and regions, digital solutions for citizens, businesses, research organisations and public admin-istrations, developing small and medium-sized enterprises, developing skills for smart special-isation, industrial transformation and entrepreneurship, and increasing digital connectivity.
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Key organisations & contacts

Key contact(s) :

Branislav Treger (Chairman)
Email : primator@lhr.sk

Association of Towns and Municipalities (ZMOS)

The Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia is the largest non-governmental organisation associating and representing cities, municipalities and city districts as legal entities. Since its establishment in March 1990, it has been actively involved in public administration reform processes and has carried out its activities both vis-à-vis its members and in relation to national authorities, as well as at European and international levels.

Key activities :
  • coordination: creating conditions for the exchange of views and experiences of representatives of member cities and municipalities and the formation of joint strategies conducive to strengthening the position of local self-government;
  • initiative: proactive participation of representatives of member cities and municipalities in solving common problems and preparation and implementation of common strategies;
  • methodological and information: provision of methodological activities in connection with legal obligations and rights of towns and municipalities;
  • legislative: ZMOS is a mandatory commenting entity within the legislative process and a member of the Legislative Council of the Slovak government and the Slovak Economic and Social Council;
  • project training: mentoring and training on project and programme application and implementation for member cities, municipalities and organisations, particularly on funding activities (organised several conferences related to smart agenda).

Key contact(s) :

Igor Wzoš (CEO)
Email : sscc@smartcluster.sk

Slovak Smart City Cluster

Key activities :

Pilot regional strategies on the smart approach: Cluster will elaborate three regional strategies in Trenčín, Nitra and Bratislava Region for smart solutions, it should cover towns and villages. Strategy will be mainly based on possible solutions, which could be provided by existing local infrastructure or IT companies. Pilot strategies are financed through the Operational Programme for Effective Public Administration (2014-2020).

Key contact(s) :

Štefan Škultéty (Chairman)
Email : predseda@sietmas.sk

National Network of Local Action Groups of the Slovak Republic

National corporate organisation and association of the Local Action Groups (LAGs), public-private partnerships, and experts on regional development.

Key activities :
  • International project (under development) with Austrian and Czech partners for know-how transfer on Smart Villages. Project would be financed under Interreg V-A – Austria-Czech Republic programme.
  • Discussions with and advocacy towards policymakers to ensure better coverage of the Smart Villages concept in new Operational Programmes.
  • Information and promotion of smart rural initiatives in other EU member states

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Further key resources

Smart Villages: Revitalising Rural Services
( 09/07/2018 )
A video with Slovakian subtitles produced by the ENRD Contact Point summarising what a ‘smart village’ represents from different perspectives.
Language : English, Slovak
Integrated Regional Operational Programme (2014-2020)
Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informati-sation of the Slovak Republic
The aim is to improve the overall quality of life and ensure the sustainable provision of public services for regions, cities and municipalities. Priorities of the programme in the area of safe and ecological transport in regions, access to efficient and better public services, creative industries, etc. (Structural Funds)
Language : Slovak
Smart Communities 2.0 – how to be smart in the countryside?
Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem , Interindustria Knowledge Centre Foundation , Technical University of Košice ( 01/10/2020 – 31/01/2022 )
A Hungarian-Slovakian Interreg V project based on the premise that ’smartness’ is not the privilege of cities, but sustainable welfare could be also achieved in the countryside through the application of the latest technologies. The main goal was to support the smartness of rural settlements through the development of specific cross-border services, including a ‘Smart Village Compass’ and a catalogue of good practices, showcasing step by step the ‘smart’ actions villages can implement. In addition, the ‘smart database and helpdesk’ serves as a one-stop-shop, making all relevant and up-to-date information available in one place, connecting villages with relevant opportunities, as well as competent advisors.
Language : English
Analysis of the state of high-speed broadband internet coverage of municipalities belonging to the list of white spots in Slovakia
National Rural Network of Slovakia ( 01/2018 – 11/2018 )
The aim of this analysis is to determine the current status of building/existing coverage of the 46 villages from the list of white spots of Slovakia without sufficient broadband connection. Survey of municipalities interest in drawing a non-repayable financial contribution from sub-measure 7.3 of Rural Development Programme Slovak Republic  2014 – 2020 – Support for broadband infrastructure, including its construction, improvement and expansion, passive broadband infrastructure and provision of broadband access and electronic public administration. The aim of sub-measures 7.3 is the creation of access to a broadband internet via the building of access networks with speeds of at least 30 Mbit/s.
Intelligent Villages Seminar
National Rural Network of Slovakia ( 27/03/2019 )
Information on best practice projects in Europe, and promotion of the Smart Villages concept. Transfer of know-how from Czech Republic about their approach to smart rural. The event was co-organised with NRN regional antenna in Nitra.
Language : Slovak
Integrated Regional Operational Programme (2014-2020)
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic
The aim is to improve the overall quality of life and ensure the sustainable provision of public services for regions, cities and municipalities. Priorities of the programme in the area of safe and ecological transport in the regions, access to efficient and better public services, creative industries, etc.  (Structural Funds)
Language : Slovak
Support for innovative solutions in Slovak cities
Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic ( 2017 )
The document describes the key aspects of the Smart City topic with emphasis on their implementation in practice by business entities, but also provides a practical tool for businesses and cities in the form of new support mechanisms and an overview of already implemented examples at home and abroad. Main target is focused on cities. The essence of the concept of the Smart City are just innovative solutions applied in cities and regions, which alone, however, are not the goal, but a means to enhance the quality of life in cities and as well as improve the business environment.
Language : Slovak
Operational Programme on Environmental Quality (2014-2020)
Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic ( 11/2019 )
One of the priority areas of the operational program focuses on supporting activities aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of enterprises, reducing the energy intensity of public buildings, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, as well as supporting efficient district heating systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Language : English, Slovak
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