Major updates to the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan have been proposed nearly two years after approval. There are four types of amendments to distinguish between:
- The largest group of the proposed amendments are administrative, that is, formal amendments that have no real impact on projects. This involves the unification of nomenclatures, corrections of typos, or small textual adjustments.
- The second-largest group was caused by changes beyond the control of the Ministry of Health. For example, the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequences this aggressive act has had on driving up prices for materials, labour, and energy. The rise in the prices now means that fewer beds can be built or renovated with the same budget. Hence, while it was possible to support 2400 beds at price from 2020/2021, in 2023 it is possible to subsidize a renovation of only 1602. Thus, the ministry reduced the expected number of subsidised hospital beds.
- The third group of modifications regards the content and conditions of the projects. This impacted, for example, a project to support the creation of new GP practices. While in the original plan, only GPs could receive a subsidy, after the adjustment, the subsidy will be open to other outpatient specialisations.
- The last group of changes significantly changes or cancels entire projects. The most notable of these was altering a project that aimed to restore emergency service vehicles. The ministry acknowledged the project is no longer feasible within the given schedule and was abandoned. Approximately EUR 23 million from this project will be shifted to hospital projects.