Slovakia's Action Plan for Smart Cities and regions for 2023-2026 promotes open source solutions as part of its digital transformation strategy for smart cities and regions. The plan recognises the importance of leveraging synergies between local governments and implementing a comprehensive approach to the development and implementation of digital solutions. To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation of the Slovak Republic is setting up two measures aiming at facilitating the use of open source in local administrations.
The first measure focuses on supporting the sharing and scaling of information systems and smart solutions for local governments. One of the main risks identified in implementing ICT solutions in Slovakia's local government environment is the lack of coordination and comprehensive approaches. To address this, the use of public licences (as defined in the 2015 Copyright law article 76), such as the European Union Public Licence (EUPL), are encouraged to facilitate the sharing and scaling of information systems. By leveraging public licences, the Action Plan for Smart Cities hopes to limit vendor lock-in and enhance reuse of these solutions. The measure also emphasises cataloguing existing open source information systems, digital tools, and smart solutions for local government, licensed under EUPL or similar licences.
In support of this first measure, the Action Plan includes activities that aim to raise awareness and train stakeholders on the benefits of open source solutions. The plan emphasises the importance of popularisation and education to encourage the use and creation/procurement of open source solutions. By reducing risks associated with low procurement and development efficiency, the government hopes to enhance the overall effectiveness of its strategy.
The second measure complements the open source approach by promoting the use of innovative forms, tools, and processes of public procurement for smart city and regional solutions. The measure acknowledges that existing legislation allows for diverse procurement methods, but many are underutilised due to their complexity. To address this, the measure envisions collaboration between the Public Procurement Office and municipalities to implement modern public procurement methods specifically tailored to innovative solutions. Through practical pilot projects, experience will be gathered, and this can be shared with other municipalities and utilised in training and publication activities. The measure also includes the creation of a compendium of good practice examples and an overview of technical and legislative requirements, providing contracting authorities with accessible information to guide the implementation of future innovative and smart solutions.
By combining the two measures, the Action Plan aims to increase the adoption of open source solutions and innovative procurement methods in Slovakia's local governments. This approach aligns with the country's Digital Transformation Strategy for 2030, which emphasises openness, free access, and the utilisation of existing capacities and talents.
The Action Plan is the result of a public consultation effort and internal comment procedures, and the government plans to extend these efforts through specialised working groups. By fostering a comprehensive and innovative environment, the plan strengthens the capacity of public procurers, facilitates knowledge transfer, and supports the development of smart cities and regions.