Unlike in the previous programming period, the Slovak Ministry of Environment (MoE) changed its approach to national co-financing. By the end of the Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic (SAO SR) audit in May, not a single co-financing agreement had been signed, although some projects had already received European Commission support. The 2026 state budget earmarks €5 million for co-financing LIFE projects, yet none of this funding had been used by the end of May. These findings resulted from an SAO audit of selected LIFE projects.

“Funding for environmental protection can cover up to 75% of eligible costs of approved projects. If Slovakia fails to use these resources, the money may ultimately go to other EU Member States. These funds could help Slovakia meet its commitments arising from EU membership, particularly in environmental protection, while actively supporting projects addressing the impacts of climate change, whose consequences we are all experiencing this summer,” said Henrieta Crkoňová, Vice-President of the SAO.

LIFE is the European Union’s main funding programme for environmental protection and climate action. Unlike traditional structural funds, it is managed directly by the European Commission. During the 2014–2020 programming period, Slovakia was allocated more than €43 million. The Ministry of Environment provided national co-financing for 23 projects, totalling €25 million.

“The LIFE programme was successfully implemented in Slovakia during the previous programming period. The state supported all projects that passed the European selection process and applied for national co-financing. Combining EU and state budget resources with funding from project beneficiaries, more than €70 million was invested in nature protection, biodiversity and climate action,” Crkoňová said.

The sustainability of completed projects is to be ensured through After-LIFE plans, continued monitoring and follow-up activities, financed through a combination of organisations’ own resources, state subsidies and subsequent grant schemes.

Projects supported in 2014–2020 focused on protecting endangered bird species, restoring protected habitats within the Natura 2000 network and systematically improving air quality. SAO auditors examined 11 projects implemented by seven beneficiaries: Bratislava Regional Conservation Association (BROZ), Carpathian Development Institute, Východoslovenská distribučná, Technical University in Zvolen, the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic (SNC), Slovak Ornithological Society/BirdLife Slovakia and Comenius University Bratislava.

The audit found that the State Nature Conservancy was the only beneficiary that failed to meet its contractual obligations and did not draw any funding from either the national or EU budget. It failed to procure an external service to remove invasive woody plants, submit payment claims or inform the Ministry of Environment in a timely manner about the problems encountered.

“The main reason was inefficient and complicated internal procedures. As a result, the public procurement procedure for the external service was not launched at all during the five-year project period. Extreme staff instability, including six changes in the position of director general, also contributed to this failure,” Crkoňová explained. She added that “the audit also revealed insufficient oversight of the project by the Ministry of Environment.”

The situation was ultimately resolved by another project partner, the NGO BROZ, which secured a contractor and completed the project objectives under significant time pressure.

Auditors also identified risks in project management. As the national coordinator of the LIFE programme, the Ministry of Environment significantly exceeded deadlines for approving the settlement of advance payments and financial reimbursements. There were no binding deadlines at all for approving contract amendments, project administration and financial management.

Processing individual applications took several months and, in exceptional cases, 540–590 working days. Organisational and staffing changes disrupted continuity, while the unit responsible for this agenda was generally understaffed. SAO therefore recommends strengthening control and management processes to ensure more efficient implementation and financial closure of LIFE projects.

Deficiencies in compliance with contractual deadlines and information obligations were also identified among project beneficiaries.