The lecture took stock of the digitalization of public administration in 2014–2020, when the key tool was Priority Axis 7 of the OPII program. It discussed what was successfully launched, where projects stalled, and why indicators began to worsen after 2018. In conclusion, it suggested what needs to be done so the investment backlog and systemic weaknesses stop deepening.
The OPII period: what it brought and what it revealed
The years 2014–2020 were a turning point for the state’s digitalization: digitalization became a political topic, the civic association Slovensko.Digital was created, and criminal prosecutions reverberated in IT as well. The numbers showed a catch-up of projects from the previous OPIS program, which temporarily improved the position in the DESI index, but after 2018 a decline followed, and in 2023 the methodology changed. At a practical level, since 2017 entrepreneurs are required to connect with the state electronically via slovensko.sk, “once-only” initiatives and anti-bureaucratic laws were launched. Positive impulses also came from projects such as electronic sick leave certificates, the centralization of economic agendas, departmental private clouds, and the formal involvement of the expert public in strategy-making.
Where digitalization failed
A significant portion of EU funds did not translate into investments but into consumption, so they will not generate returns in the future. Key systems could not be replaced: for example, the new Commercial Register has been tendered for years, and the pension information system is still an open question after two decades. Local governments and thousands of small entities are unable to meet legal requirements, as audits have also revealed, which calls into question the sustainability of the obligations in place. Centralization often degenerated into micromanagement, the reaction to missteps was to add bureaucracy, and the quality of specifications as well as competencies on the state’s side often declined.
Mantras replaced a thoughtful selection of approaches: agile development was used even where it did not fit, and the idea of “only small contracts” runs up against large systems. Public procurement deteriorated, tenders drag on or collapse, and pressure for the lowest price eroded the market. Critically lacking is the linkage between business owners and accountability for developing systems, so the public sector produces solutions without sufficient ownership and support. The strategic framework (NKIVS) is not a management tool one could steer by, and the digital transformation of processes did not get off the ground.
What this means for the coming years
The state faces an investment debt of at least approximately 600 million euros, covering hardware, software, and large obsolete systems. Some resources can be sought in the Recovery and Resilience Plan and in the Slovakia program, but the key will be to design projects well and focus on replacing critical infrastructure. Since IT specialists are permanently scarce on the market, it is necessary to strengthen the competencies of business owners so they can clearly formulate requirements and bear responsibility. In parallel, procurement needs to be cleaned up, bureaucracy reduced, and the central authority turned into a true leader that sets direction rather than micromanaging projects.
