OECD Policy Coherence Scan of the Slovak Republic

3. Conclusions

Abstract

This chapter concludes that the Slovak Republic has established important strategic foundations for sustainable development, but challenges remain in translating long-term objectives into co-ordinated action and measurable outcomes. Slovakia 2040 and recent centre-of-government reforms provide opportunities to strengthen links among strategic planning, budgeting, investment and implementation. Their contribution will depend on sustained political support, effective co-ordination, institutional capacity and the systematic use of evidence. Further progress in these areas could strengthen public-sector performance and support sustainable development and well-being for current and future generations.

The Slovak Republic has established important strategic foundations for advancing sustainable development and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Slovakia 2030, the ongoing development of Slovakia 2040 and Investment Plan Slovakia, together with recent reforms to strengthen strategic planning and co‑ordination from the centre of government (CoG), reflect a commitment to more integrated and forward-looking governance. These initiatives recognise that complex economic, social and environmental challenges require coordinated action across sectors and levels of government, informed by long-term objectives.

At the same time, important governance challenges remain in translating long-term ambitions into coherent policies, investments and measurable outcomes. Sustainable development considerations are not yet systematically integrated into policymaking tools and processes across the policy cycle, and links among strategic planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting remain underdeveloped. Policy development continues to be organised largely around sectoral responsibilities, while co‑ordination mechanisms can come into play too late to support early identification and management of policy interactions, trade-offs and synergies. Consequently, long-term priorities are not always reflected in sectoral strategies and programmes, funding decisions or performance frameworks.

The development of Slovakia 2040 presents an opportunity to address these challenges. If developed as a shared long-term national framework, it could provide a common reference for future government manifestos, sectoral strategies, reforms and investment decisions across electoral cycles, while respecting their distinct legal and political functions. It could also establish sustainable development and well-being as central objectives of national policymaking and strengthen links among strategic objectives, implementation arrangements and resource allocation.

Recent reforms provide an institutional basis for strengthening policy coherence. The establishment of a Strategic Coordination Centre within the Office of the Government, the emerging network of Strategic Coordination Units within line ministries, and the Central Database of Strategic Documents could improve information sharing, strategic steering and co‑ordination among policies, reforms and investments. Similarly, Investment Plan Slovakia and the National and Regional Partnership Plan provide opportunities to improve coherence among long-term national priorities, investment decisions and EU funding streams within the applicable EU programming framework. As these reforms remain at an early stage, their contribution will depend on sustained political support, clear institutional responsibilities adequate capacity and broad ownership across the public administration.

Strengthening policy coherence for sustainable development should not be treated as an additional policy agenda. It is a governance approach that can help the Slovak Republic make more effective use of existing institutions, processes, strategies and resources. Applying this approach will require stronger links among strategic planning, budgeting, and investment; earlier co-ordination across ministries; proportionate and timely use of regulatory impact assessment; and greater use of monitoring, evaluation and spending reviews to connect expenditure and implementation with shared outcomes. A nationally tailored sustainable well-being framework could also provide a common outcome-oriented reference for Slovakia 2040, SDG monitoring and strategic decision making, while complementing existing accountability systems.

More systematic engagement across levels of government and society could further support coherent policymaking. Earlier involvement of regional and local authorities may be particularly valuable for policies and investments with significant territorial effects or where implementation depends on subnational capacity. Similarly, engagement with civil society, social partners, businesses and academia at relevant stages of the policy cycle could help inform policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Such engagement can broaden the evidence available to government, help identify implementation risks and support wider ownership of reforms.

The CoG can play an important stewardship role in this process. Positioned at the intersection of political priorities, strategic planning, and government wide co‑ordination, it is uniquely placed to promote a whole-of-government perspective, support the identification and management of cross‑sectoral priorities and strengthen alignment among policies, investments and performance frameworks. This stewardship role could complement the responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance, line ministries, subnational governments and other public bodies. Political support and clarity regarding institutional roles, together with effective collaboration among these institutions, could help sustain attention to shared long-term priorities and strengthen accountability for implementation.

The central challenge for the Slovak Republic is therefore not the absence of strategies but their translation into coordinated and sustained action across government. The reforms underway provide an opportunity to support implementation by developing Slovakia 2040 as a shared long-term national framework, strengthening links among strategic planning, budgeting and investment decisions, improving co‑ordination across institutions and levels of government, and building the capacities needed to address increasingly complex policy challenges. Progress in these areas could strengthen public sector performance and support sustainable development and well-being for current and future generations.