Attack at the Primary School in Staškov Reopens the Question of Soft Target Protection
The incident at the primary school in Staškov brings back a topic that deserves continuous attention, not just attention in the aftermath of an incident. The protection of soft targets should form part of a systematic security policy, with clearly defined measures, responsibilities and preparedness for various types of threats.
Schools, universities, hospitals and public offices are environments where large numbers of people gather and where security cannot be built on the same principles as at facilities with a high level of physical protection. All the more important, therefore, are prevention, risk identification, staff preparedness and the ability to respond to a situation as it unfolds.
The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic (AKI SR) has been addressing this topic over the long term. The Concept for the Protection of Soft Targets for 2026–2030, submitted by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic for interdepartmental review in April 2026 and approved by the government on 17 June 2026, was analysed in detail by the association, which submitted comments drawing on the professional capacities of its membership base from the fields of security management, cybersecurity, risk management, facility protection and critical infrastructure operations.
The comments focused primarily on the concept's alignment with existing legal and security frameworks, on the unambiguous delineation of the responsibilities of individual actors, on methodological support for operators of soft targets, and on creating the conditions for regular testing of preparedness. In doing so, AKI SR draws on its members' practical experience with real-world projects, which makes it possible to assess the proposed measures also in terms of their feasibility in the day-to-day operations of institutions.
The decisive factor, however, is practical implementation. The protection of soft targets does not begin with a security service or a technical device. It begins with an understanding of specific risks, continues with the setting of processes and responsibilities, and includes regular verification of the preparedness of the organisation and its people.
Cooperation Between the State, Academia and Industry
Decent Cybersecurity, a member company of AKI SR, carried out a comprehensive security audit and soft target protection programme for the Technical University of Košice. The aim of the project was to strengthen the resilience of one of Slovakia's largest universities against hybrid, physical and personnel-related attacks.
The audit covered three of the four key areas of soft target protection:
- physical and facility security – access control, perimeter protection and emergency preparedness,
- personnel security – background verification and readiness to respond to incidents,
- administrative security – governance, documentation and crisis procedures.
The project resulted in a security assessment across several areas and a tailored improvement plan, which enabled the university to enhance the safety of students, staff and critical research assets. The initiative aspires to serve as a national reference project for the protection of soft targets in the academic environment and as a model for replication at other universities and public institutions in Slovakia. At the same time, it demonstrates that professional capacities combining security, technology, risk management and real operations are available and usable in Slovakia.
"The resilience of soft targets will not come about through the adoption of a single document. We need a systemic approach that connects the state, academia and the professional capacities of industry. Slovakia has such capacities today. What matters is creating the conditions for them to be used effectively where they are needed," says AKI SR President Tibor Straka.
The protection of soft targets cannot be viewed in isolation. It is part of the broader security of society and, in the case of entities linked to critical infrastructure, also part of their overall resilience. Moreover, the risks are not limited to a single category of threats: physical incidents may be interconnected with cyberattacks, disinformation, insider threats or the disruption of organisational processes. The goal is therefore a system that identifies risks before they escalate into an incident.
From Concept to Practice
In this field, AKI SR has professional capacities, experience from specific projects and a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, which creates room for professional collaboration. The association is ready to cooperate with state institutions, local governments, the academic sector and organisations that need to address the protection of their soft targets.
The approval of the concept is not the end of the work but the beginning. What will be decisive is how its objectives are translated into concrete measures at the level of individual schools, hospitals, public offices and other institutions – into risk analyses, established processes, staff training and regular verification of preparedness. This requires methodological support, available professional capacities and long-term cooperation between the state, local governments, academia and the private sector. AKI SR is ready to contribute to this process through expert opinions, experience from completed projects and direct cooperation in putting measures into practice.
The question is not whether Slovakia has the professional capacity. The question is how we can use it systematically and in time.
