She studied diplomacy and worked in the field of security and defense. Now, for almost six months, Simona Zacharová has been active in politics, serving as the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for the Development of Civil Society.
How did you start being active in politics? Was the nomination to the office a surprise for you?
I was nominated to the position by Minister of the Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok on March 6, 2024, and subsequently appointed by the Government of the Slovak Republic. The feeling of surprise was immediately replaced by a great sense of responsibility to not disappoint the trust of the minister and the entire government, but most importantly, to not disappoint my own values and principles. At the beginning of my term, I resolved to remain myself. I will not pretend or play a role, nor will I offer cheap political talk. You can’t please everyone. It is very important for me to maintain my authenticity and remain human. In all the roles and positions I have held so far, I have tried to perform to the best of my ability. I accepted this role with humility and the intent of handling it to the best of my ability, but with the difference that I feel an even greater responsibility for my work, for the office, for my colleagues, and especially for the people affected by the issues of civil society. There is a difference between doing political activism and real professional politics.
What does the position of the plenipotentiary for the development of civil society entail?
The statute of the office is clear: it is an advisory body to the government in the area of civil society and the non- governmental and non-profit sector. The plenipotentiary submits proposals and other materials to the government through the deputy prime minister and the minister of interior, can establish working groups or commissions within the given agendas, and serves as a communication channel between public administration, i.e., central state authorities, and civil society. I participate in government meetings where issues within our scope of work are discussed, communicate, and meet daily with various representatives of civil associations and organizations, inquire about their problems, what they encounter, and so on. As needed, I convene meetings at the highest level to discuss systemic changes, amendments to laws within our agenda, and other issues.
What experience or knowledge from your previous jobs is most useful in your role as plenipotentiary?
In the third sector, emotions are the name of the game. Coming from the field of defense and security, I was used to reacting very rationally, pragmatically, sometimes even coldly. The arms business is tough. I am able to utilize a lot of previous management experience in my current role. However, I rely on honesty and fairness, work honorably and responsibly. My colleagues would probably say that I am demanding of myself and others, waking up every day before six and being the first to arrive at the office. Not because it “looks good” or because motivational books say so. I like the calm in the morning when I can take care of pressing things, go through the day’s agenda, prepare for it, and of course, enjoy my morning coffee in peace.
Could you talk us through the main pillars of the Concept for the Development of Civil Society in Slovakia, which gives the office certain boundaries?
The Concept for the Development of Civil Society in Slovakia (KROS) is a fundamental document that sets the direction of the office‘s activities and agenda for ten years. Basically, it always involves activities that should support a full and balanced dialog between the government and civil society, based on transparent communication and participation, i.e., public involvement. It also does not overlook vulnerable groups, such as the socially disadvantaged, youth, or seniors, and their role in shaping public policies in Slovakia. The latest KROS for 2022-2030 has five priorities???? increasing citizen participation, strengthening the principles of active citizenship, building and deepening cooperation between civil society and the public sector, creating a favorable environment for the development of civil society and its higher systemic resilience, and ensuring systematic data collection on civil society. This year, we are continuing with the implementation of the first action plan for 2022-202????, which contains clearly defined goals and corresponding measures and tasks within the mentioned priorities, totaling more than thirty. As an example, we can look at one of the goals – increasing citizen participation. This goal focuses on encouraging the public to be more involved in social activities, to have the space to communicate their needs, and to participate more in volunteer or donor activities.
What projects are you currently focusing on the most?
We are currently launching a food aid project aimed at participatively creating a proposal for a unified system of distributing donated food suitable for human consumption. The goal is to prevent food waste on one hand and to feed low-income or poverty-stricken groups of the population on the other. Building a stable infrastructure for the redistribution of food surpluses is key to making safe and nutritionally valuable food accessible to people in need across Slovakia, including food deserts and hunger valleys. The project involves building strategic partnerships between public administration, the business sector, and civil society, with an emphasis on non-governmental non-profit organizations, which have so far been carrying out this type of aid using their own capacities together with the business sector. We are also continuing with the implementation of the so-called sustainability project, a national project called Support for Partnership and Dialog in the Area of Participative Public Policymaking 2. As part of this project, the team at the office created a unique educational program for officials at the national, regional, and local levels called Learning Institutions, Learning Regions, and Learning Cities and Municipalities. Within the mentioned program, we train our colleagues on how to make public policies with the involvement of the public, experts, and various other actors of organized civil society or the business sector. On their “live” materials, specific problems, we learn together how best to engage target groups to solve these problems as effectively and efficiently as possible.
How are you managing to motivate citizens to actively engage in public life?
There are tens of thousands of non-governmental non-profit organizations in Slovakia whose activities prove that they do not only think about themselves and, in addition to the services they provide, they also participate in various working groups or other activities where they discuss the possibilities of improving various areas of life with officials and politicians. Sometimes it may look like expressing dissatisfaction, but often the expressed dissatisfaction indicates a problem that needs to be addressed. It is always necessary to consider whether it is a problem that impacts public interests, meaning a systemic one, and how large a portion of the public it affects, and based on that, thoughtfully consider the necessary level of intervention from politicians and officials. Motivation is more challenging because it is often linked to trust in the state and its institutions, where Slovakia has a long- term problem. Looking at the activities of the office in recent years, it’s obvious that the more specific and relatable the problem is to the citizens, the higher their interest is in participating in solving it. And sometimes, just one good experience between a citizen and an institution, an official, and a politician, resulting in even a small increase in quality of life, is enough to set the first building block for growing trust.
What is your stance as plenipotentiary on non-governmental non-profit organizations?
To put it bluntly, whether someone likes it or not, many industries would not survive today without the third sector – a large part of social care, social service homes, homes for the elderly. The state does not have the capacity to manage the care of people dependent on external assistance. Not to mention hospice centers for terminally ill children. After the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, it was the non-governmental organizations that first addressed the situation. They were the first to do what they could to help people fleeing the war, even in freezing cold and difficult conditions. Many sports clubs and organizations nurture athletes and are grateful for every euro. I know an organization where a lady, the mother of an autistic boy, founded a civic association so that mothers with children with similar fates could meet, exchange experiences, share their worries and joys. Meanwhile, they spend time painting or doing pottery. Civil society is very diverse, intersecting every area of life, and that fascinates and excites me about my work. I would also like to thank every single person, every small or larger association that helps others, elevates the needs of others above their own benefit, and actively participates in creating a better society.
CV BOX
Simona Zacharová (born in 1987 in Ilava), is the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for the Development of Civil Society.
She graduated with a bachelor‘s degree in Diplomacy from University College Prague (2013), and an MBA in Business and Commerce from the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (2015). She holds a master‘s degree in Economics and Management from DTI University in Dubnica nad Váhom.
She studied Project Management in the USA at Florida Atlantic University (2020). Additionally, she has completed several internships abroad, such as in the USA, Belgium, and Germany. She is a graduate of the European George C. Marshall Security Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Between 2016 and 2022, she worked as a Business Development Consultant at Century Arms in Florida, USA. After returning, she was the Program Director at ZTS Špeciál, a.s., for a year, later a Project Manager for the Institute for Central Europe.
Since the autumn of 2023, she has been an advisor at the Israeli Embassy in Bratislava and the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for the Development of Civil Society since this March.
She speaks English, German, Polish, and Russian.
