The eight self-governing regions together manage nearly 3,600 kilometres of second-class roads and more than 10,300 kilometres of third-class roads, with almost 5,400 bridges located on them. There are significant differences between the regions. The smallest road network is managed by the Bratislava Self-Governing Region (523 km and 129 bridges), while the largest is managed by the Prešov Self-Governing Region (2,433 km and 1,228 bridges). The audit showed that the overall condition of regional roads improved only slightly during the audited years 2021–2024. In 2024, approximately 8,663 km out of the total 13,911 km of roads were classified in the two best structural and technical condition categories.

The situation with bridges is considerably worse. Nearly 40% of bridges on regional roads (2,062 out of 5,387) were in 2024 classified in the three worst condition categories. The number of bridges in emergency condition increased from seven in 2017 to 34 in 2024. The deterioration has been long-term, and the trend for bridges on first-class state-owned roads is similar, as confirmed by an SAO audit conducted in the first half of 2025. In 2024, four regions recorded a higher share of bridges in the worst condition categories: the Košice Self-Governing Region (383 out of 654 bridges), the Trnava Self-Governing Region (225 out of 380 bridges), the Prešov Self-Governing Region (567 out of 1,228 bridges) and the Bratislava Self-Governing Region (54 out of 129 bridges). By contrast, the Žilina Self-Governing Region and the Trenčín Self-Governing Region reported bridge conditions better than the national average. A positive example is the Žilina region, which has long been preparing investments targeting bridges in the worst condition. This systematic approach helps to better plan their modernisation. On the other hand, the quality of some road sections in the region is slightly declining.

The SAO audit confirmed that the need to modernise roads and bridges significantly exceeds the financial capacities of the self-governing regions. Despite using their own resources, loans and EU funds, the regions as a whole are mainly able to maintain the existing infrastructure rather than improve it in the long term. At the same time, EU funding – currently crucial for investment – is expected to gradually decline. “Current practice shows that self-governing regions can modernise individual road sections, but this does not significantly change the overall condition of the network. While some sections improve, the condition of others gradually deteriorates,” said Chair of the national auditors Ľubomír Andrassy. In this context, auditors recommend that members of parliament request the Government of the Slovak Republic to present a proposal for the long-term sustainable financing of roads and bridges, potentially drawing on international best practices. The regions are also encouraged to actively seek new financial sources for infrastructure modernisation and to maintain and develop their own road maintenance capacities, including through mutual cooperation.

Average current expenditures of regional road administrators amounted to approximately €150 million per year during the audited period. More than half of this went to winter maintenance, mowing and cleaning of road shoulders. Continuous road surface repairs accounted for an average of just under €32 million per year, or about one-fifth of current expenditures. Investment spending averaged nearly €104 million annually, with around 40% coming from non-repayable contributions from EU funds. The highest level of investment was recorded in 2023, when the EU programming period was closing.

Routine road maintenance mainly ensures operational usability rather than improving technical condition. Improvements can only be achieved through larger reconstructions or investment projects. “The continuing deterioration of bridge conditions may in the future lead to traffic restrictions in some regions, and in extreme cases even to the collapse of bridge structures,” said Chair Andrassy. Following a previous SAO audit in 2021, some road administrators have begun using so-called bridge crews to carry out minor construction repairs and more intensive bridge maintenance. This approach helps extend their service life and postpone costly modernisation. For example, in the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, 40 bridges were repaired in this way between 2022 and 2024, with total costs not exceeding €1 million. Positive examples also include specific projects modernising continuous road sections, such as the reconstruction of Road II/537 – Cesta slobody in the Prešov Self-Governing Region, where nearly 45 kilometres were reconstructed in six phases at a cost of more than €43 million.