At the Invitation of AKI SR, Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec and State Secretary Ján Hrinko Visit TOMARK

On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, a delegation visited the TOMARK group of companies in Prešov, including Peter Kmec, Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy, and Ján Hrinko, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth.

The visit took place at the invitation of the Association of Critical Infrastructure of the Slovak Republic (AKI SR), represented by President Tibor Straka and Supervisory Board Chairman Matej Michalko. TOMARK PROTON s.r.o., the new division of the established TOMARK company, is among Slovakia’s leading innovators in hydrogen technologies and a member of AKI SR. During the visit, representatives of TOMARK s.r.o., Tomark Aero s.r.o., and TOMARK PROTON s.r.o. presented their large-scale production of truck chassis, the aviation division, and especially the current status of the IPCEI H2 VTOL project (Important Project of Common European Interest). The project’s main goal — alongside the development of hydrogen storage systems — is to design one of the first hydrogen-powered vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

“Hydrogen technologies are not just the future — they are already our real opportunity for a greener and more competitive economy,”

said Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec. The discussion highlighted the project’s high added value and its potential to strengthen Slovakia’s position in the innovation rankings. Hydrogen is seen as one of the key technologies of the future, offering eco-friendly solutions with a lower carbon footprint, enhancing national energy security, and opening doors to new innovative projects. Participants also discussed the importance of ensuring continuous grant funding, which has helped attract top Slovak talent back from abroad. “If we want Slovakia to remain attractive for talented scientists and engineers, we need stable and predictable conditions for research and innovation support,”
added State Secretary Ján Hrinko. Attention was also given to the cybersecurity of emerging know-how, essential for the long-term protection of technological solutions and innovations.

“Innovation without security has no future. Protecting our know-how is just as important as creating it,”

emphasized AKI SR President Tibor Straka. The Association of Critical Infrastructure of the Slovak Republic actively supports its members in the areas of innovative technologies and cybersecurity, and considers the visit by the Deputy Prime Minister and the State Secretary a significant step toward strengthening cooperation between the state, industry, and research sectors. The shared goal is for Slovakia to harness the potential of hydrogen technologies and become part of a modern and sustainable energy transformation.