Cabinet Okays 'Vision Slovakia 2040' Document

        Bratislava, 9 September (TASR) - At its meeting on Wednesday, the government approved a document titled 'Vision Slovakia 2040: The Path to a Better Quality of Life', TASR learnt on the same day.
        This document provides a comprehensive overview of the projected development of Slovak society up to 2040 and sets out the basis for drawing up Slovakia's Development Strategy until 2040. The vision was developed through the collaboration of nearly 400 experts, a series of round-table discussions and regional workshops.
        The 'Vision Slovakia 2040' document forms the first, conceptual part of the strategic framework for Slovakia's development up to 2040. Its purpose is to define the long-term direction in which the country will develop, the desired state of Slovakia in 2040, the main development objectives and the principles of public policy, which will be followed by the second part, the 'Slovakia 2040 Strategy'. According to the document, presented by the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV), this strategy constitutes an implementation framework, including the definition of the reforms and measures necessary to achieve the vision's objectives. SAV has been tasked with ensuring that it's prepared by 31 January 2027, with the document to be submitted to the government by 31 March 2027.
        The Vision and Strategy are also to be linked to Slovakia's Investment Plan and the National and Regional Partnership Plan for 2028-2034. Their aim is to translate the long-term vision for the country's future into specific reforms and investments.
        The document sets out scenarios for the possible development of Slovak society over the target period up to 2040, with a view to achieving lasting and sustainable growth in the quality of life in Slovakia. To this end, key areas and directions have been identified, along with milestones and key indicators, which are interlinked with the opportunities, threats and risks posed by anticipated external changes to society, in conjunction with Slovakia's identified and projected strengths and weaknesses.
        The vision points to six areas of transformation that Slovakia should pursue. The first is reform of the state, aimed at helping to restore public finances to health, rethinking the tax mix for the new period, making services more accessible and modernising the country's territorial organisation. Next comes the transformation of the economy. This must be based on predictable and fair support for science, research and innovation; making the business environment more attractive; supporting regional, strategic and dual investments; and ensuring affordable energy. This applies to large, medium-sized and small enterprises alike.
        Slovakia must also invest in its people. There's a need to educate them for the era of artificial intelligence, to develop universities, and to unlock the potential of all those who are even marginally economically active, states the study, pointing to negative demographic trends. The fourth area is health, which is important for Slovakia in terms of quality of life, economic performance and the resilience of the population.
        Another goal is to connect and reform society. The authors of the study stress that the state must actively champion mutuality, trust and a sense of belonging. It must bring people together and strengthen culture and civil society. The final area is security - physical, cyber, food, energy and climate security. The state should focus on protecting infrastructure as a whole.
        Head of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) Martin Venhart noted that the government's approval of the document marks the completion of a very significant task for the academy. "The Vision sets out the current situation, outlines possible scenarios for Slovakia's development, and contains proposals and priorities that we should address. It doesn't contain any specific measures or financial frameworks; that isn't the purpose of this document," he said, adding that he views the government's approval of 'Vision Slovakia 2040' as confirmation that Slovakia needs a clear and long-term vision for its future, based on knowledge and extending beyond a single electoral term.
        "The vision is neither a wish list nor a set of simple answers. It sets out the target state towards which Slovakia should strive. At the same time, it shows where we must begin: reforming the state, transforming the economy, investing in people, preventing disease, uniting and nurturing society, and protecting Slovakia from threats," said Marek Radvansky, SAV vice-president for economics and legislation and the lead author of the vision. The SAV president would be pleased if the document were to be used across the political spectrum as a basis for informed political decisions in the future.