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DW
22-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Slovakia: Fico uses anti-EU rhetoric as diversionary tactic – DW – 07/22/2025
After holding out for weeks, Slovak PM Robert Fico dropped his veto on new EU sanctions against Russia. There's likely to be more of the same in the future as such maneuvering diverts attention from domestic problems. Slovakia's veto of the EU's package of sanctions against Russia is not something entirely new. After all, the bloc is already well familiar with such maneuvering from the prime minister of neighboring Hungary: Viktor Orban has in the past blocked EU decisions that have to be agreed unanimously, promising his supporters that he will "never" back down. Then, at the last minute, he does a U-turn and drops his veto. In many cases, it is not clear what he got in return. Then, back home, Orban portrays his "fight against the Brussels bureaucrats" as a "victory." But this is the first time that Orban's friend and ally Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has played this card. For weeks, Fico — formally a Social Democrat but in practice a right-wing populist — kept the EU on tenterhooks, declaring that he would not approve the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia, even if that would trigger a "major crisis in the EU." Fico's reasoning was that the sanctions would have a massive impact on Slovakia's economy and, above all, on its energy supplies. He also claimed that it would damage the EU itself, not Russia. Fico made his veto stance out to be a question of national sovereignty and national pride. The U-turn came in the form of a social media post late on Thursday evening just hours before the planned vote on the package. Speaking in a video, Fico said that even though the European Commission's sanctions plan against Russia was "nonsensical," it would be "counterproductive" to vote against it. He explained the concessions that Slovakia would get in return and finished by saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." There was great relief in the EU at Fico's surprise U-turn. Some — such as the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — even voiced understanding for Slovakia's tough economic situation. But within Slovakia itself, both opposition politicians and many political commentators have been extremely cutting about Fico's maneuvering. The general tone of what was said was that he had alienated Slovakia's European partners, done Russian President Vladimir Putin a favor that did nothing for Slovakia and isolated the country. Michal Simecka, leader of the country's largest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia (PS), posted on Facebook that Fico was "amateurish, lacked direction, frustrated and unsuitable to hold office and to defend Slovakia's interests." A commentator for the daily broadsheet called Fico's maneuvering a "show for the voters back home and to divert people's attention away from other problems." But what was the purpose of Fico's maneuvering and what did it ultimately achieve? The aim of the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia was above all to stop the sale of Russian oil in the EU, to cut off the Russian armaments industry from key imports, and ban transactions with Russian banks that have not so far been on the list of sanctioned institutions. Fico and his coalition government had agreed to the package in principle. The bone of contention was a set of measures included in a plan known as RePowerEU, which Brussels tabled some time ago. Among other things, this plan seeks to stop the flow of Russian gas to EU member states from 2028. Slovakia wanted an exemption from this plan because it has a gas supply contract with the Russian company Gazprom that runs until 2034 and is completely dependent on Russian gas. But even before Fico agreed to back the 18th sanctions package, the EU had assured Slovakia assistance in this respect, allowing the country to use some of the financial aid from the EU to subsidize energy prices. Brussels has also promised Slovakia assistance in the event of litigation with Gazprom. So, why the "show for the voters back home"? On the one hand, Slovakia is in considerable financial difficulty and in the middle of a profound structural economic crisis. Fico's coalition government has been able to solve neither problem since coming to power in late 2023. Above all, it is dragging its heels on the issue of fixing the country's public finances. Last year, Slovakia's budget deficit stood at 5.3% of GDP, which is well over the 3% limit for the eurozone. Even though Fico's government has already introduced financial consolidation measures, which included raising a number of taxes and social security contributions and canceling some public holidays, it has also made some expensive gifts to its voters, including support to cope with high energy prices and a 13th monthly pension payment for senior citizens. The government is also currently under pressure among other things because of a controversial tax on financial transactions. Economically, the crisis in the automotive industry has brought huge problems for Slovakia, which relies heavily on exports. Plants in Slovakia produce for Volkswagen, Kia, Jaguar and Peugeot. Indeed, car production is by far the most important economic sector in the country. However, because of the upheaval on the automotive market, competition from China, falling sales in the US, and US President Donald Trump's tariff policy, the Slovak automotive production model is facing growing problems. Fico's government has yet to table a long-term plan for fundamental economic reform. But Fico and his government are also under pressure because of a series of corruption scandals — both old and new. After the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova in February 2018, Fico was forced to resign. In the years that followed, it became clear just how close the links between politics and organized crime are in Slovakia. Since Fico returned to power in late 2023, one of his top-priority projects has been to stop the fight against corruption and to silence opponents. Peter Bardy, editor-in-chief of the web portal Aktuality, says that Fico is "obsessed with revenge," which is also the title of his current bestseller about the prime minister. Actuality recently reported on a scandal concerning a luxury villa of obscure ownership on the Croatian Adriatic coast with alleged links to the prime minister. Fico sees himself as a victim and a man surrounded by enemies. This has intensified since he was the victim of an assassination attempt in May 2024. He feels that the opposition, independent media, liberalism, "LGBTQ ideologues" and the EU are all conspiring against him. Fico has repeatedly taken sides with President Putin and was the only EU head of government to travel to Moscow for the Victory Day parade there on May 8. After a visit to Uzbekistan in June, he praised its political system, calling it a model, and reflected on how "European democracy" could be reformed, for example by reducing the number of parliamentary parties. This fall, Fico is planning to erect a "dam against progressivism" with amendments to the constitution. Among other things, he is planning to only recognize two genders: male and female. Slovak-Hungarian journalist and writer Laszlo Barak sees both this move and Fico's strategy of first opposing and then agreeing to the EU's sanctions against Russia as part of the same policy. "This is how the Fico reality is constructed: with slogans, half-truths and cheap lies," he said, writing for the online media outlet Parameter. "That's his policy: manipulation, Russophilia and cynicism."
Russia Today
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
UK secretly paid YouTube influencers for propaganda
The UK Foreign Office gave millions of pounds to a media contractor to secretly shape public opinion in foreign countries, Declassified UK has reported. The agency, Zinc Network, is believed to have received nearly £10 million ($13 million) to recruit influencers across Europe. Zinc is a London-based company that pays YouTubers and internet personalities in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics to produce political content. While the company says it is committed to transparency, the creators it employs are bound by strict non-disclosure agreements not to disclose ties to the British government. Former employees have described the operation as 'state propaganda.' One told Declassified that the relationship between Zinc and the influencers was 'extremely exploitative.' Another claimed that Zinc had interfered in Slovakia's 2023 elections by targeting young voters with influencer content designed to boost turnout for Progressive Slovakia, a pro-European party. The vote was ultimately won by Robert Fico's Smer party, which has advocated maintaining friendly relations with Russia and draws support from older voters. Zinc had previously been exposed for running covert Muslim news platforms. In 2021, it was also reportedly looking to recruit comedians and YouTubers to run psyop campaigns in the Baltics to shift the opinions of Russian-speaking communities. Aside from the UK government, the company has also received millions in funding from the US, as well as from the Belgian government, according to public documents. The full scale of Zinc's operations is unclear as the Foreign Office has only partially disclosed its contracts with the company, despite repeatedly being ordered to do so by the UK's Information Commissioner. The UK government has defended the operation as a way to 'counter disinformation' and 'champion truth and democratic values.' Meanwhile, Russia's security services have recently accused several British institutions, including the British Council and Oxford Russia Fund, of running covert campaigns to destabilize Russian society and promote Western agendas.
New European
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New European
Robert Fico goes to Moscow
The prime minister, Robert Fico, was en route to Moscow for a meeting with Putin, his second visit in recent months. He was the only EU leader present in Moscow on that day. Fico's previous trip triggered widespread outrage and months of mass demonstrations. At one point, Fico described the protests as an attempted coup. In an extravagant show of military might, Vladimir Putin presided over a grand parade in Moscow's Red Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the second world war. More than 10,000 troops marched through the capital, even as the war in Ukraine continued. Meanwhile, in Slovakia, almost 10,000 demonstrators gathered in central Bratislava on Victory in Europe Day, the day before the Moscow parade. People protested outside the government's headquarters, with Slovak and EU flags filling the square in a show of dissent. Michal Šimečka, leader of Progressive Slovakia, the main opposition party, which is currently leading in the opinion polls, has criticised Fico's foreign policy direction. 'It is a disgrace and a betrayal of Slovakia's national interests, which is driving our country out of the EU. This is happening against the will of our citizens,' he told me. 'I am convinced that there will be a political change in Slovakia and that we will bring Slovakia back to the European table'. A few hours before his departure for Moscow, Fico marked Victory Day in the town of Piešťany. His speech was met with a mix of applause and boos. Then it was off to Moscow, where he had a brief exchange with Putin, a meeting with the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, a cheerful photo op with the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, and even a meeting with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, their second in six months. Fico did not attend the parade itself – the EU had made clear that his attendance would have crossed a red line. In protest at Fico's show of friendship towards Putin, the Baltic states barred his plane from their airspace, forcing a lengthy detour. Rastislav Káčer, our former foreign minister, told me he thought the trip was 'both a disgrace and a strategic mistake'. The trouble with Fico, he said, was that he 'targets 'the west', despite the fact that we conduct almost 90% of our trade with the west. Yet when he is in trouble, he turns to Brussels, seeking compensation, subsidies, and diplomatic support.' Since the start of the year, Fico has managed, albeit with difficulty, to hold his fractured coalition together, while using foreign affairs as a tool of self-promotion. It began in February with a trip to the conservative gathering of MAGA Republicans at the CPac conference in the US. It was meant to be a photo opportunity with Donald Trump, but events did not unfold as planned. In the end, Fico managed only a brief meeting with Elon Musk and a mention on the welcome list from Trump. He returned from Washington without his longed-for photo, or even a handshake from his political idol. Trump is no friend of Slovakia. His tariffs on the car industry pose a significant threat to our economy – Slovakia produces around 1m vehicles each year. Jakub Filo, deputy editor-in-chief of Slovak daily SME, said: 'Fico is a Slovak proponent of authoritarian national conservatism. His approach to foreign affairs is not focused on strengthening ties with Slovakia's natural partners and allies, but rather on forging connections with other national conservatives and autocratic leaders. 'Domestically it serves him, as a significant portion of his and the governing coalition's electorate holds pro-Russian sentiments and is susceptible to Russian propaganda.' Against this backdrop, Fico appears to be cultivating a carefully crafted image of strength, just like Putin. However, also like Putin, Fico's foreign adventures are leaving him increasingly isolated. They may no longer be delivering the domestic political gains they once did. Branislav Ondrášik reports for the Slovak daily SME
Hamilton Spectator
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Protesters in Slovakia condemn Prime Minister Fico's visit to Moscow
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Protesters gathered Friday in the Slovak capital to demonstrate against populist Prime Minister Robert Fico's latest trip to Russia. Fico was the only leader of a European Union country to travel to Moscow for festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Chanting slogans like 'We've had enough of Fico,' 'Slovakia is Europe,' and 'Stay there,' protesters filled Freedom Square. Organizers said that Fico 'doesn't represent the whole Slovakia.' 'It's a shame for Slovakia,' and 'one of the worst moments for the Slovak foreign policy,' Michal Šimečka, the leader of the major opposition and pro-Western Progressive Slovakia party, said about the trip. The Kremlin has used the annual 'Victory Day' celebrations to tout its battlefield prowess. On Friday, President Vladimir Putin praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying that 'we are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.' Fico said in a video message his goal was to establish 'normal, friendly cooperation,' with Russia. The rallies in Bratislava and some other towns and cities across Slovakia were the latest in a wave of protests fueled by Fico's recent trip to Moscow for talks with Putin over gas deliveries in December. Fico, who is a divisive figure at home and abroad, returned to power in 2003 after his leftist Smer (Direction) party won a parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform . Known for his pro-Russian views, he has openly challenged the European Union's policies over Ukraine.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters in Slovakia condemn Prime Minister Fico's visit to Moscow
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Protesters gathered Friday in the Slovak capital to demonstrate against populist Prime Minister Robert Fico's latest trip to Russia. Fico was the only leader of a European Union country to travel to Moscow for festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Chanting slogans like 'We've had enough of Fico,' 'Slovakia is Europe,' and 'Stay there,' protesters filled Freedom Square. Organizers said that Fico 'doesn't represent the whole Slovakia.' 'It's a shame for Slovakia,' and 'one of the worst moments for the Slovak foreign policy,' Michal Šimečka, the leader of the major opposition and pro-Western Progressive Slovakia party, said about the trip. The Kremlin has used the annual 'Victory Day' celebrations to tout its battlefield prowess. On Friday, President Vladimir Putin praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying that 'we are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.' Fico said in a video message his goal was to establish 'normal, friendly cooperation,' with Russia. The rallies in Bratislava and some other towns and cities across Slovakia were the latest in a wave of protests fueled by Fico's recent trip to Moscow for talks with Putin over gas deliveries in December. Fico, who is a divisive figure at home and abroad, returned to power in 2003 after his leftist Smer (Direction) party won a parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Known for his pro-Russian views, he has openly challenged the European Union's policies over Ukraine.
