Slovakia - AI Plenipotentiary Office (368/2025)

Overview

The Government of the Slovak Republic formally established the office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Artificial Intelligence by government resolution and an attached statute approved on 4 July 2025. The statute (Štatút splnomocnenca vlády SR pre umelú inteligenciu) defines the office as an advisory institution to the government with a mandate to coordinate national AI policy, interface with EU and international AI governance fora, and promote safe, ethical and effective AI deployment across public administration and the private sector. The statute and related announcement are published on the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization (MIRRI) website; see the ministry’s information page and the official statute PDF for the authoritative text: MIRRI — Plenipotentiary for AI and Statute PDF (approved by government resolution no. 368, 4 July 2025).

Definitions

Key terms used in the statute include "Plenipotentiary" (splnomocnenec) — the appointed advisor to the government on AI; "secretariat" — the administrative unit embedded in MIRRI to support the Plenipotentiary; "working group" — a temporary or standing expert body convened by the Plenipotentiary with a statute and rules of procedure defined by the Plenipotentiary; and references to EU instruments such as the EU AI Act, including the EU-level bodies (AI Office, European AI Board) with which the Plenipotentiary must cooperate. The statute also cross-references Slovak laws governing government organisation and public service, e.g., Act No. 575/2001 on organization of the government and central state administration and Act No. 55/2017 on the civil service.

Governance and Institutional Framework

The Plenipotentiary holds an advisory role to the government and is appointed and removable by the government on the proposal of the Prime Minister. The statute places operational support inside the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization (MIRRI), which hosts the secretariat without additional budgetary claims on the state budget. The statute empowers the Plenipotentiary to convene working groups, participate in government meetings on relevant agenda items, and to coordinate expert inputs across ministries and public authorities. The office’s remit includes liaison with EU and international governance structures; the statute specifically mandates cooperation with EU AI bodies referenced in the EU AI Act. The statute text and organisational placement are published by MIRRI: MIRRI — Plenipotentiary page and the full text: Statute PDF.

Key Focus Areas

The statute outlines a multi-faceted mandate with cross-cutting priorities: (1) policy development and strategic planning — support, update, and implement national AI strategies and policies, particularly where issues cross ministerial competencies; (2) coordination and technical assistance — provide expert coordination and assistance for government positions at EU and international levels and collaborate with regulatory and supervisory bodies; (3) ecosystem support — facilitate national support, research and investment attraction, and the creation of national supervisory or advisory bodies; (4) information gathering and analysis — systematically collect and analyse data on AI use and deployments in the Slovak Republic; (5) outreach and transparency — lead public communication, educational activities, and promote open data/information where permitted by law; (6) international representation — present Slovak good practices abroad and contribute to bilateral and multilateral cooperation; and (7) annual reporting — deliver an annual report to the government on AI use and the national AI ecosystem. These functions are intended to ensure alignment with the EU AI Act, foster responsible AI adoption, and strengthen Slovakia’s international cooperation in AI governance.

Implementation Framework

Operationally, the statute requires the hosting of a Plenipotentiary secretariat within MIRRI to provide organisational, administrative and technical support. Secretariat staff may be employed as civil servants or under employment contracts; the statute states the office operates without additional budgetary claims on the state budget. The Plenipotentiary may establish working groups and define their composition, duties and procedural rules. For policy outputs requiring government prerogatives, the Plenipotentiary forwards documentation through the responsible minister to the government in accordance with existing procedural law. The statute contemplates cooperation mechanisms with other ministries, supervisory authorities and regional/interest associations to ensure broad stakeholder input. The statute establishes that any changes to the statute require a written amendment approved by the government.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The statute mandates annual reporting to the government on the Plenipotentiary’s activities and on the state of AI usage in Slovakia. Monitoring is operationalised through systematic information gathering and analysis of AI use-cases, and through the establishment of working groups that can feed subject-matter expertise into monitoring processes. The secretariat supports evaluation by compiling inputs across agencies and producing consolidated reports; these outputs can inform legislative proposals, regulatory sandboxes, or targeted intervention strategies. While the statute does not create an independent inspection or sanctioning agency, it embeds accountability through regular reporting and by requiring inter-ministerial coordination on matters that may result in legislative or regulatory action.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

The statute itself does not establish prescriptive penalties, civil liability regimes or administrative sanctions; rather it defines the Plenipotentiary’s advisory and coordinating competencies. Any enforcement, sanctions or liability mechanisms concerning AI systems remain within the competence of statutory regulators or future legislative acts (for example, conformity and enforcement provisions of the EU AI Act and implementing national laws). The statute’s text notes that the Plenipotentiary must observe other applicable laws (including data protection and public service rules) and does not grant independent enforcement powers beyond coordination and policy recommendation. Where disciplinary or employment matters arise within the secretariat, they are governed by civil service and labour law provisions referenced in the statute.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The statute explicitly references national organisational law (e.g., Act No. 575/2001 on the organisation of government) and cross-references the EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) and its EU-level governance bodies. The Plenipotentiary’s activities are therefore designed to complement existing national institutions (ministries, supervisory authorities) rather than to duplicate or supersede them. The office provides an interlink between national actors and EU fora, informs national legislative initiatives to implement EU obligations, and supports the development of national supportive instruments such as regulatory sandboxes, guidance documents, and capacity-building initiatives. The statute also references civil service and labour law that govern staffing and administration of the secretariat.

International Alignment

The statute mandates active cooperation with EU-level bodies (the EU AI Office and the European AI Board as set out in the EU AI Act) and with international organisations such as the OECD, Council of Europe and the United Nations where appropriate. The Plenipotentiary is charged with preparing Slovak positions for EU and international legislative and non-legislative documents, thereby ensuring Slovakia’s national policy is aligned with EU harmonisation and international standards. The statute thus serves as a mechanism to coordinate national implementation of supranational obligations and to contribute Slovak expertise to international rule-making processes (full statute: Statute PDF).

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References