EU Delays Formal Approval of Slovakia's 6th Recovery Payment Over UOO Changes

Bratislava, 12 February (TASR) – The approval of the final formal step for the disbursement of Slovakia's sixth payment request worth €590 million has not yet been placed on the agenda of the EU comitology committee, the Office of the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge-based Economy announced on Wednesday. The reason is reported to be changes concerning the Whistleblower Protection Office (UOO), the establishment of which was financed from the Recovery and Resilience Plan. According to the office, the European Commission will wait for a ruling by the Constitutional Court with respect to the authority. "The Commission had already positively assessed at the beginning of the year the fulfilment of all milestones and targets linked to the sixth payment request and, on 10 February 2026, also moved the seventh payment request for Slovakia, worth €658 million, into the approval process," the office said. It maintains that Slovakia is meeting its commitments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan properly and on time. The office said it is taking the situation seriously and approaching it proactively, launching intensive negotiations with the European Commission to clarify the outstanding issues and ensure the continuation of the disbursement process for the sixth payment request. "Slovakia has met the milestones and targets that were the subject of the sixth payment request. We are approaching the situation responsibly and without delay. Our ambition is, through an open dialogue with the European Commission, to remove any doubts and ensure that funds from the recovery plan can continue to flow smoothly to people and projects in the regions," said Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD), who is temporarily heading the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge-based Economy. In its original form, UOO was to cease to exist as of 1 January 2026. However, following a decision by the Constitutional Court, which in December 2025 suspended the effectiveness of the law, the office continues to operate unchanged for the time being. The Constitutional Court accepted in full for further proceedings a petition by a group of opposition MPs, who criticised, for instance, the shortening of the term of office of the duly elected head of the Whistleblower Protection Office as well as changes concerning the provision and review of whistleblower protection. In January, the European Commission sent Slovakia a formal notice of possible infringement with respect to the Whistleblower Protection Office and requested additional information and clarification. The legislation approved by Parliament in December was intended to transform UOO into a new Office for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Whistleblowers. In addition to handling the whistleblower agenda, the new body was to take over responsibility for the compensation of crime victims from the Justice Ministry. mf