The Trenčín Self-Governing Region has successfully defended its position as Slovakia’s most transparent region. In the latest transparency ranking of regional self-governments published by Transparency International Slovakia (TIS), it once again improved its score compared with the previous assessment in 2022. Out of the eleven evaluated categories, it ranked first in eight.
Regional self-governments manage more than €2.4 million annually, representing a larger volume of public funds than the budgets of some government ministries. They are responsible for key areas of public life, including second- and third-class roads, regional bus transport, hospitals, secondary education, cultural institutions, and social care facilities. Access to information about their activities – in other words, transparency – enables effective public oversight.
Higher score
The seventh assessment showed that Slovakia’s regions have once again made progress in transparency. Their average score increased by three percentage points to 72 % (compared with 69 % in 2022 and 63 % in 2020). The 2026 transparency ranking is once again led by the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, which achieved a score of 84 % – the highest in the history of the evaluation. Compared with the 2022 ranking, it improved by three percentage points and received an A+ rating. “The Trenčín Region successfully defended its title as the most transparent region because it ranked first in eight of the eleven assessed categories. In three of them – subsidies and grants, social care facilities, and region-owned companies and organizations – it achieved the maximum possible score of 100 %,” explained TIS Director Michal Piško. This year’s evaluation also introduced several innovations, with TIS adding eleven new indicators. “For example, we newly assessed how regional governments progressed during the last electoral term in creating an environment of zero tolerance toward corruption, where the Trenčín Self-Governing Region scored highly. In addition to adopting an anti-corruption policy, its President, Jaroslav Baška, was the only one of Slovakia’s eight regional governors willing to complete TIS’s detailed asset declaration,” Piško added.
A familiar champion
The Trenčín Self-Governing Region has topped the transparency ranking continuously since 2017, thanks to systematic work and continuous improvement. “This award belongs to all our colleagues who work every day to ensure that the region’s decisions are understandable, transparent, and accessible to the public. It also belongs to the people of our region, whose interest in public affairs motivates us to keep improving. We accept this recognition with great humility, as it confirms that the path we have chosen is the right one. Transparency is not only about publishing documents, contracts, and data. Above all, it is a demonstration of respect for our citizens. People have the right to know how decisions affecting their lives are made and how public funds are being used. Public trust does not arise on its own – it is built gradually through openness, responsibility, and a willingness to explain our decisions,” said Jaroslav Baška, President of Slovakia’s most transparent region. The region also has ambitions for the future. “There is always room for improvement. Even though it is becoming increasingly difficult, we will continue striving to do better,” he added.
Evaluation
TIS evaluates the transparency of Slovakia’s regional governments across eleven categories. While the 2022 assessment saw improvements in as many as ten categories, this time progress was recorded in seven. On average, the greatest improvements were seen in the areas of ethics and conflict of interest, as well as the sale, lease, and management of public property. Despite these improvements, property management remains one of the weakest aspects of regional transparency. Only media policy received a lower average score. The results reflect the day-to-day work of regional self-governments while also serving as an incentive to become even more open and transparent.
President of the Trenčín Self-Governing Region Jaroslav Baška with employees of the Trenčín Self-Governing Region Office.
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