Achilles Data 2025/26 Winning Team Uncovers the Reality of Arms Contracts in Slovakia

Profits for Slovak arms companies have surged in recent years, despite repeated political claims that the country is not profiting from war. The concentration of state contracts in the defense sector and the actual extent of state influence over this strategic industry became the central focus of this year’s winning investigative project. The work was part of the ninth edition of Achilles’ Data, the Bakala Foundation’s program for aspiring investigative journalists.

For nearly six months, the students investigated the contradiction between public political statements and the economic reality of the defense industry. Through an analysis of open data, public registers, and available documentation, they detailed how a small group of companies—often linked to the same individuals—have consistently secured long-term state contracts. Their investigation highlights potential systemic failures and raises the question of whether the state is losing control over a strategically vital sector.

The winning Slovak team, Spotlight—consisting of Zuzana Kormančíková, Chiara Mihalčatinová, and Samuel Randík—worked under the mentorship of experienced journalist Zuzana Petková from the Stop Corruption Foundation (Zastavme korupciu).

“The impulse for choosing this topic was the gap between public rhetoric and reality. We wanted to see if the state is losing its grip on such a strategic sector. Achilles Data gave us hands-on investigative experience; we learned not only how to process data but, more importantly, how to track it down, verify it in public databases, and present our findings to the public in an ethical and clear way,” explains team member Chiara Mihalčatinová.

The winning project was one of many investigative outputs produced this year. Thirteen teams of undergraduate and graduate students from Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine tackled diverse topics, ranging from forced sterilizations in Czechia to the rise of vigilante groups in Poland and how security concerns contribute to anti-immigration sentiment.

Achilles Data is an educational program focused on investigative and data journalism, allowing young reporters to work on their own cases with support from experienced mentors from top newsrooms. Participants undergo intensive initial training followed by over five months of independent work on projects of their choice.

“Achilles’ Data gives young people the opportunity to experience investigative journalism in practice—from working with open sources to the final presentation of results. For many of them, data work is now an essential part of the journalistic craft,” says Václav Pecha, Director of the Bakala Foundation.

A cornerstone of the program is long-term mentoring by seasoned professionals. This year’s mentors included prominent figures such as David Klimeš and Apolena Rychlíková, alongside European journalists including Kamil Bałuk (Polish Institute of Reportage), Veronika Munk (Denník N), and Danylo Mokryk (The Kyiv Independent).