Firm in the Saddle, Fico Is Ready to Raid Slovakia

The Slovak strongman's return to power has many worried about the country's democratic decline

18 October 2023

Albin Sybera

Foresight Editor

Slovakia is poised to have a new government led once again by Robert Fico. With help from a former party member and the extreme right, Fico has been parroting Viktor Orbán’s rhetoric, raising speculation if Bratislava will soon go the same direction as Budapest or stay on calmer terms with the EU.

After securing his coalition deal with his old cabinet colleagues, Robert Fico has not backed down from his aggressive rhetoric, earning a suspension for his Smer from the Party of European Socialists (PES).

Some of the cabinet nominees caused an outcry in the Slovak media over their pro-Kremlin and conspiracy talking points, while concerns are high that Smer will meddle with the judiciary and police, possibly threatening the country’s access to vitally needed EU funds.

While checked by the election result in Warsaw, Fico is still likely to forge ties with Orbán’s Fidesz in Hungary and the Czech populist opposition led by the stained but still strong billionaire Andrej Babiš.

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Albin Sybera

Foresight Editor

Foresight Editor. Albin is a freelance journalist, consultant and a former clerk at the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic. Besides Visegrad Insight, his texts can be also found at Britské listy or Balkan Insight and he is also a news reporter covering Czechia and Slovakia at bne IntelliNews.

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