On 6 August 2026, Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, on behalf of the European Commission, confirmed that the Commission is aware of potential irregularities in several digitalisation projects funded under Slovakia's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and will factor audit results into its assessment of Slovakia's upcoming final payment request. Responding to a parliamentary question from Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), Dombrovskis said the Commission is carefully monitoring implementation of milestones and targets, and that it has the right to reduce support and recover funds in cases of fraud, corruption, or conflicts of interest not corrected by the Member State. The answer did not detail specific audits or corrective measures, but noted that both the Commission and the European Court of Auditors regularly carry out checks to protect EU financial interests.
The question cited media reports of grants totalling several million euros to entities including an inactive advertisement portal (EUR 1.3 million), Forecast AI (EUR 1.2 million), and Biape (EUR 1.2 million), as well as funding to Respilon Slovakia and Foaf, raising concerns about beneficiary capacity, ownership structures, and ability to meet project objectives. It also referenced the reported suspension of a EUR 90 million project to upgrade the e-government portal Slovensko.sk. Dombrovskis's answer did not confirm or deny specific red flags, but stressed that Slovakia must demonstrate fulfilment of targets in the upcoming ninth payment request, which has not yet been submitted. The Commission will take into account all available information, including audit findings, before deciding whether targets have been met.
The reply reiterates the Commission's existing powers under the RRF Regulation (EU 2021/241) and the financing agreement with Slovakia, rather than announcing new measures. It signals that the Commission is treating the matter as a compliance issue to be resolved through the payment process, rather than an immediate suspension of funds. The outcome will depend on Slovakia's ability to provide evidence that the projects meet RRF requirements, and on the results of ongoing audits. This leaves the door open for potential financial corrections if irregularities are confirmed, but also gives Slovakia room to address concerns before the final payment request is assessed.
Stakeholders affected include Slovak authorities, particularly the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization (MIRRI), which manages the funds and faces scrutiny over its selection and monitoring practices; EU taxpayers, whose money is at risk if irregularities lead to recovery; and the beneficiaries of the digitalisation grants, who may face repayment obligations if projects are found non-compliant. The Commission's stance balances the need to protect the EU budget with the procedural requirement to give Slovakia the opportunity to demonstrate compliance, a trade-off that will become clearer once the ninth payment request is submitted and assessed.