A "Report on the Security of the Slovak Republic for 2017" submitted for interdepartmental review by the Government Office notes that the security environment in Slovakia was influenced by the ongoing armed conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, Afghanistan, North Korea's nuclear programme as well as the overall security situation in Europe. This is marked by continued tensions in the relationship between the EU and NATO and the Russian Federation due to its unlawful steps towards Ukraine and the continued support of separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia, according to the report, has continued to build up its military capabilities and state of preparedness near NATO borders, where they also conducted extensive military exercises including scenarios of conflict with NATO member states.
"Targeted operations continued against individual EU and NATO member states in an effort to influence their internal political and electoral processes, to increase their internal instability and to weaken their unity and their principled position toward violations of international law. In Slovakia's case, these activities took the form of targeted propaganda and disinformation directed against the value system and the democratic establishment of the country, but also by continuing support for extremist groups opposing the membership of the Slovak Republic in the EU and NATO, the consequences of which can be fully demonstrated over an unspecified time horizon," the report notes. The report has concluded that last year there were no security incidents or events that might disrupt Slovakia's constitutional establishment, the functioning of constitutional bodies, the security of constitutional officials, or the activity of the public administration.
