Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the SR and Critical Infrastructure Association of the SR - beginning of partnership for resilient critical infrastructure

AKI representatives met with the Director General of the Digital Agenda Section, Otto Szöke. The AKI delegation was led by President Tibor Straka and its members included AKI Supervisory Board Chairman Matej Michalko, AKI Vice President for cooperation in the field of interior, transport and defense Michal Boďo, and Executive Director Stella Bulejková.

The Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic is, according to Act No. 367/2024 Coll. on critical infrastructure and on amendments to certain laws, the central authority for the Digital Infrastructure sector and the Public Administration Information Technology subsector, which includes basic services for operating central information infrastructure and central communication infrastructure, management of the government electronic communication system and services that are of fundamental importance for supporting public administration.

AKI President Tibor Straka informed Director General Otto Szöke about the association's mission as a professional platform for cooperation between the public and private sectors in the field of critical infrastructure. He emphasized that AKI has the status of an independent and non-political interest association of legal entities. He highlighted AKI's key roles in the area of consultations with critical entities, in the area of threat, hazard and vulnerability analyses, and in the area of audits of the existing state of provision of essential services and ensuring the resilience of critical entities, as well as the development of implementation projects for implementing measures to ensure the provision of essential services and resilience of critical entities.

During the discussion, meeting participants agreed that there is potential for mutual constructive dialogue. Director General Otto Szöke welcomed the proposal for systematic cooperation between the ministry and the association and expressed his conviction that the result of such cooperation will be support for strengthening the security and efficiency of key communication and information systems in public administration. Participants also discussed possibilities for mutual coordination in the area of legislation, sharing best practices and implementing innovative solutions to increase critical infrastructure resilience.

Both sides unanimously expressed interest in anchoring cooperative relations through the conclusion of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic and the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic. This memorandum will create a framework for long-term systematic communication and coordination of activities in the field of critical infrastructure in the area of public administration information technology.