Slovak Republic - Security Policy

The Govenment plans to create prerequisites for formation of such a defence potential of the state, which will enable responding to situations threatening the security of the citizens, the state, and allies, and to preventively eliminate emerging threats, including elimination of threats outside of the Slovak Republic's territory. It will make an effort that the Slovak Republic, by the end of 2010, contribute adequately to defence capabilities of the collective defence of NATO and to EU military capabilities with the objective of a full-fledged contribution in the period thereafter. It will ensure an active participation in the NATO and EU response force and in operations of international crisis management. To this end, it will use the tools of the objectives of the North Atlantic Alliance forces and the EU main objectives, which, in accordance with the nature of contemporary threats, put emphasis on: defence ability and internal security of the state, the ability to deploy forces even outside of the territory of the Slovak Republic, the ability to participate in several operations simultaneously, and the ability to flexibly adapt the mission type to a changing security situation.

The Govenment plans to increase the efficiency of management and effectiveness of use of the state defence potential, ensure sufficiently fast decisions in the framework of international crisis management of NATO, EU and UN, and enhance the legal framework for the activity of public power authorities in the field of guaranteeing the Slovak Republic's defence ability. The Govenment plans to continue developing the system of civil control of the armed forces in such a way that the political and military responsibility for state defence is transparently defined.

The Govenment plans to intensify the effort in enforcing the comprehensiveness and efficiency of defence and create prerequisites for improvement of the system of defence management, inter alia, through an update of the Long-Term Development Plan of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic 2015. It will ensure the development of the required capabilities of armed forces with an emphasis on their deployability and sustainability. The Govenment plans to support further development of armed forces by transforming the relevant executive and support elements of the state defence system.

The Govenment plans to create an integrated security system controlling and coordinating all organisations and institutions determining state defence.

The Govenment plans to increase the level of deployability and operational readiness of armed forces. It will ensure transparency, efficiency, and economy in the use of funds. In defence planning, it will consequently comply with the development priorities of the defence sector.

The Govenment plans to assess the involvement of armed forces in operations of international crisis management, including the operation Iraqi Freedom. For the future, The Govenment plans to ensure that any decision on deploying forces includes a clear definition of a mandate containing criteria for their continuation or withdrawal.

The Government, on the basis of a dialogue with the partners involved and with Iraqi Government, will submit a clear and, with respect to time, acceptable schedule for withdrawal of the forces from Iraq. The Government is ready to participate in performance of other tasks in ensuring the stability and peace in Iraq using civilian means and likewise it is ready to participate in the process of building Iraqi security forces that will be capable of assuming responsibility for stability and security in Iraq.

The Govenment plans to support the extension of capabilities of the Slovak Republic's armed forces also to the area of assistance tasks with an emphasis on the protection of health and property of the citizens and the state in the events such as natural disasters or a terrorist attack.

The Govenment plans to complete the transformation of military educational system, support the development of national military science, and, at the same time, create conditions for education of civilian experts in the field of security and defence. The Govenment plans to adopt measures to strengthen civil responsibility for the defence and stabilising the civil character of state defence.

The Govenment plans to reconsider the system of command and control of the Slovak Republic's armed forces so that it ensures the required degree of their operational readiness to defend the state and the citizens and to fulfil the Slovak Republic's international commitments. The Govenment plans to increase the quality of human potential in the Ministry of Defence with an emphasis on professionalism, expertise and competency in performance of their functions. It will increase the professionalism of the armed forces and stabilise their personnel, including adequate remuneration and social security. It will motivate and stimulate professional soldiers in accepting the requirement of equal opportunities.

The Govenment plans to create conditions for an improvement of the care for military retirees. It will support the development of traditions and care for military veterans and their family members.

The Govenment plans to ensure that defence spending reaches the level necessary to ensure the state defence and the Slovak Republic's commitments. It will ensure that spending on operations of international crisis management and spending related to the inclusion in NATO and EU response forces is not financed at the expense of maintenance and development of the Slovak Republic's armed forces.

The Govenment plans to build a functioning system of early warning with the objective of identifying emerging threats to be able to adopt efficient countermeasures in time.

The Govenment plans to support the development of the defence industry of the Slovak Republic. The Govenment plans to support its broadest inclusion in the modernisation and rearmament of the Slovak Republic's armed forces and international armament projects, primarily in the framework of EU and NATO. It will employ domestic capacities of research, development, production, and maintenance of state-of-the-art weapons, ammunition, and hardware. The Govenment plans to initiate the definition and legislative provision of offset rules upon substantial investments in armed and security services of the Slovak Republic.

The Govenment plans to build and maintain an adequate defence infrastructure and create conditions for its protection and operation in crisis situations. It will comply with the requirements stemming from the Slovak Republic's membership in NATO and EU, including adoption of and general provisions for the support of allied armed forces in the territory of the Slovak Republic and implementation of security investments.

The Govenment plans to ensure that the armed forces in state defence and public power authorities are supported in emergencies through the system of civil emergency planning.