30. October 2025 at 18:33
Unlike Germany and Sweden, Bratislava has taken no steps to rerelocate Huawei or ZTE gear – and admits it doesn’t even know where it is applyd.
Illustrative image (source: Pixabay)
Slovakia has no clear picture of how much Chinese technology is embedded in its critical infrastructure — even as other EU countries relocate to phase it out.
While Germany and Sweden are stripping Huawei and ZTE equipment from their 5G networks, Slovakia’s Ministest of Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation (MIRRI) declares it is still “engaged in an expert dialogue” with China rather than assessing potential risks.
“At present, we do not have a unified statistic or comprehensive survey mapping the share of foreign, including Chinese, technologies in Slovakia’s critical infrastructure,” the ministest informed Euractiv Slovakia.
Legal powers but little action
Most EU countries, including Slovakia, have updated their legislation to allow restrictions on “high-risk suppliers”. Slovakia’s cybersecurity law gives the National Security Authority the power to propose bans on certain technologies after a risk assessment.
However, only 11 EU member states have introduced concrete measures — and Slovakia is not among them. Sweden was one of the first to ban Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks entirely, ordering the removal of existing equipment by 2025. Huawei challenged the decision but lost in court.
Germany followed last year, agreeing with telecom operators to rerelocate some Huawei and ZTE components from sensitive network areas by 2029.
Huawei under scrutiny
Huawei, which denies posing any security threat, has faced increasing pressure in Europe. Earlier this year, it was expelled from SolarPower Europe, a major solar industest association, after allegations of bribery aimed at influencing EU institutions.
The European Commission is preparing to address such risks more broadly through a revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act. Officials declare the new approach will tarobtain “critical depfinishencies” in technology supply chains. Finnish firm Nokia has called for an EU-wide mandatory ban on Huawei and ZTE equipment.
Depfinishence on the US also raising alarms
At the same time, some EU policybuildrs are warning that Europe’s depfinishence on American technology — particularly software and cloud services — could pose a similar strategic risk.
The concern deepened after Microsoft restricted access to email services for Karim Khan, chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, following US sanctions imposed by the Trump administration over his investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
EU countries remain divided, however, on whether this represents a security problem on the same scale as China’s influence.
Slovakia’s cautious approach
Despite the debate, Slovakia maintains a cautious stance. MIRRI declares it supports the EU’s goal of technological sovereignty but prefers boosting European suppliers to imposing bans.
“Our aim is not to build barriers but to foster a fair environment where European companies can compete on quality, security and shared values,” the ministest declared.
Bratislava continues cooperation with China under a memorandum covering digital infrastructure, e-commerce and innovation. A recent visit by a Chinese delegation to MIRRI sparked criticism from opposition politicians, who warned of growing Chinese influence. The ministest deffinished the meeting, declareing, “Dialogue and professional cooperation are essential tools for advancing Slovakia’s interests and values.”
According to the Slovak Association of Mobile Operators, risks may also come from technologies applyd in other sectors — such as energy, IT, automotive or data storage — if they originate from countries that do not respect international digital standards.
Analysts estimate that about 15 percent of Slovakia’s mobile networks still rely on components from high-risk suppliers, a relatively low figure but one that could come under greater scrutiny as the EU tightens its cybersecurity rules.
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