Defense Minister Kaliňák Announces Military Road Investment for EU Funding Advantage

Slovakia's Defense Ministry will participate in the planning of a bypass road around the city of Zvolen, Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák announced. The minister stated that framing the project as a military road would improve chances of securing European Union funding, though the National Motorway Company (NDS) will retain primary responsibility for the project. Kaliňák, who leads the ruling Smer-SD party alongside Prime Minister Robert Fico, appears to be leveraging defense infrastructure classifications to access EU funds that might be more difficult to obtain through standard transportation channels.