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Domestic Politics

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Domestic Politics

Slovak Parliament Members Face Wave of Personal Attacks

Members of parliament from Slovakia's ruling Smer-SD party have experienced a series of personal attacks this week, prompting political discussions about the safety of elected officials. The social-democratic party, which leads the current government coalition, addressed the incidents during what party officials described as a difficult week. The attacks on parliamentarians have raised concerns about the broader political climate and the security of public representatives in Slovakia.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Opposition Accuses Slovak Government of Failing to Meet Own Economic Goals

Opposition Progressive Slovakia MP Ivan Štefunko criticized the ruling coalition government, arguing that Slovakia's economy requires stimulus to move forward but instead remains stuck in past approaches. The coalition now admits it cannot fulfill its own economic objectives, according to the opposition lawmaker. Štefunko claimed the government is merely preserving outdated economic policies rather than implementing measures to drive growth and modernization.

TASR/Teraz
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Domestic Politics

Court upholds conviction against former prosecutor Macejková in Miloslavov case

A Slovak regional court has upheld the conviction of former prosecutor Eva Macejková in the Miloslavov case and shortened her probationary period. The court reduced Macejková's probationary period citing that four years have passed since the offense and she has committed no further crimes or misdemeanors during that time. The court also awarded the victim 25,000 euros in compensation for non-material damages. The Miloslavov case involved corruption and abuse of office charges against several officials, with Macejková being prosecuted for her role while serving as a prosecutor in the case.

SMETASR/Teraz
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Domestic Politics

Hlas-SD Backs Lunter for Regional Governor in First Open Coalition Electoral Declaration

Hlas-SD became the first governing party to openly declare support for a regional gubernatorial candidate, announcing it will back incumbent Ondrej Lunter for governor of the Banská Bystrica region. Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, who leads Hlas-SD, made the announcement as part of the party's strategy for upcoming regional elections. The party also confirmed it will not field a candidate against Jaroslav Baška, signaling potential coordination with coalition partners. Hlas-SD is part of Slovakia's ruling coalition government alongside Smer-SD and the Slovak National Party, and Šutaj Eštok's declaration represents an early positioning ahead of regional elections where governors oversee administrative regions that handle areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Parliament Ends Session, to Resume Monday with Intelligence Reports

Slovakia's National Council concluded its current parliamentary session and will reconvene on Monday. The upcoming session is scheduled to begin with reports on the fulfillment of tasks by Military Intelligence and the activities of the Slovak Information Service (SIS), the country's main intelligence agency. The National Council, Slovakia's unicameral parliament, regularly receives briefings on the work of the country's intelligence services as part of parliamentary oversight of these security institutions.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Media Criticizes Government Leadership as 'Cynical Perpetuum Mobile'

Slovak newspaper SME published a commentary describing the leadership dynamic between Prime Minister Robert Fico and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok as a "cynical perpetuum mobile," suggesting a self-perpetuating system. The article, titled using harsh language to characterize the governing arrangement, indicates that despite what it describes as "extremely black humor" in the situation, all parties involved appear satisfied with the current arrangement. Fico leads Smer-SD, Slovakia's ruling social-democratic party, while Šutaj Eštok represents Hlas-SD, a junior coalition partner that split from Smer in 2020.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Slovakia's Supreme Court Upholds 21-Year Prison Sentence for Prime Minister's Attacker

Slovakia's Supreme Court has upheld a 21-year prison sentence for Juraj Cintula, the 73-year-old man who attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico in May 2024. The court, led by Chief Justice Peter Kaňa, rejected Cintula's appeal on Wednesday and confirmed the lower court's verdict for the particularly serious crime of terrorist attack. The ruling brings final closure to the case that shocked Slovakia when Cintula shot the prime minister in what prosecutors classified as a terrorist attack. Fico, who leads the ruling Smer-SD party, survived the assassination attempt but required extensive medical treatment. The Supreme Court's decision represents the final legal resolution of a case that highlighted political tensions in Slovakia. The 21-year sentence reflects the severity with which Slovak courts treat attacks on senior government officials, particularly when classified under anti-terrorism legislation.

Košice Dnes
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Domestic Politics

Slovakia's President Appoints New Armed Forces Chief of Staff

President Peter Pellegrini appointed Miroslav Lorinc as the new Chief of the General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces, replacing Daniel Zmeko in the country's top military position. The government approved Lorinc's nomination on April 22, paving the way for the presidential appointment ceremony. The new military chief stated his intention to maintain continuity while strengthening Slovakia's defense capabilities. During the appointment ceremony, President Pellegrini thanked outgoing Chief of Staff Zmeko for his service and wished success to his successor in leading the country's armed forces.

SMEAktualityTASR/Teraz
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Domestic Politics

Trnava Mayor Peter Bročka Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election

Peter Bročka, the mayor of Trnava, officially announced he will not seek re-election in the upcoming local elections. Bročka made the announcement through an official statement, ending speculation about his political future in Slovakia's third-largest city. Several candidates have already entered the race to replace him, including Branislav Baroš, who is supported by the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the local movement Trnava for Everyone, and Ľubica Horvátová, who has backing from the opposition Democrats party. The announcement sets up a competitive contest for leadership of the historic city, which serves as an important regional center in western Slovakia.

AktualityTASR/Teraz
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Domestic Politics

Slovak police break up major drug network, arrest 12 in Operation Medellin

Slovak police dismantled an extensive drug trafficking network in Operation Medellin, arresting 12 people and charging eight with organized crime. Among those charged is a previously convicted member of the notorious Twins gang from Púchov. The operation represents a significant blow to organized drug trafficking in Slovakia, targeting what authorities describe as a large-scale criminal network. The Twins gang has been linked to various criminal activities in the region, making this arrest particularly significant for law enforcement efforts against organized crime.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Politician Andrej Danko Campaigns Against Insects in Food Despite Minimal Threat

Andrej Danko, leader of the Slovak National Party and current speaker of Slovakia's parliament, has launched a campaign against insects in food products, despite experts saying this represents no significant threat to Slovak consumers. The campaign appears designed to capitalize on public disgust and fear around the issue. Danko's initiative follows a pattern of politicians highlighting non-existent or minimal threats to gain political support, according to critics who describe this as the latest in a series of such manufactured controversies.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Former Mayor of Ďurďoš Convicted of Corruption, Receives Suspended Sentence

A Slovak court convicted a former mayor of Ďurďoš of corruption and sentenced him to a suspended prison term along with a 20,000-euro fine. The ex-mayor was found guilty of accepting a 90,000-euro bribe in exchange for facilitating the allocation of land parcels for residential construction. The case represents part of Slovakia's ongoing efforts to prosecute corruption at the municipal level, where local officials have significant influence over land development and construction permits.

Korzár
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Domestic Politics

Slovakia's Mail Ballot Ban Will Affect Truck Drivers, Caregivers and Hospital Patients

Slovakia's ban on postal voting will impact tens of thousands of people who actually live in the country but cannot vote in person, according to Samuel Zubo, head of the Srdcom doma (Heart at Home) association. The restriction will affect truck drivers, caregivers working abroad, pensioners in hospitals, and people on vacation during elections. Zubo argues that Slovaks living abroad are seen as dangerous by the government because they have experienced better-functioning systems elsewhere and can compare them to Slovakia. He describes the ruling party's justification as childish and warns that international observers might refuse to recognize Slovak elections as legitimate, similar to recent elections in Venezuela. Smer-SD, the ruling social-democratic party, has implemented the postal voting ban as part of broader restrictions on voting access for citizens abroad.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Businessman Blocked from State Innovation Grants Returns with Million-Euro Support Under New Minister

Businessman Matej Michalko, whose cybersecurity projects were excluded from controversial state innovation grants, has received new funding worth over five million euros from two companies under the current administration. Michalko's projects, which include cybersecurity for the state and space communication systems, were initially rejected from innovation programs that led to the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec from the Hlas party last year. The Kmec scandal involved questionable selection processes for state innovation grants that sparked political controversy and forced the deputy prime minister to leave government. Despite being considered one of the riskiest projects in those problematic tender processes, Michalko's companies have now secured substantial state contracts and subsidies under the oversight of current officials. The case highlights ongoing concerns about transparency in Slovakia's distribution of state innovation funding and the selection criteria used to award public money to private technology projects.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Court Acquits Two of Three Defendants in Syseľ Corruption Case

A Slovak court has acquitted two of three defendants in the Syseľ corruption case, convicting only former Member of Parliament Alexej Ivanko, who received a financial penalty. The Syseľ case is one of several high-profile corruption investigations that have targeted Slovak politicians and public officials in recent years. Ivanko, who previously served in the National Council, Slovakia's parliament, was found guilty on charges related to the corruption scheme, though details of the specific violations were not disclosed. The acquittal of the other two defendants suggests prosecutors were unable to prove their involvement in the alleged corrupt activities beyond reasonable doubt.

Korzár
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Domestic Politics

SaS Founder Richard Sulík Plans Political Return That Could Threaten Current Party Leadership

Richard Sulík, the founder of the liberal Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, is preparing a political comeback that could damage the party he created. Since Sulík's departure from SaS leadership, current party chairman Branislav Gröhling has successfully maintained party unity and improved its polling numbers. However, Sulík's planned return to active politics poses a potential threat to SaS's voter base and could undermine Gröhling's leadership gains. SaS is a liberal opposition party that has been part of Slovakia's political landscape since 2009, when Sulík founded it as an anti-corruption, pro-business alternative. The internal tension highlights the challenges facing political parties when their founders remain active in politics after stepping down from leadership roles.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Slovakia Ranks 37th in Global Press Freedom Index as Political Pressures on Media Persist

Slovakia placed 37th in the latest World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), improving by one position from the previous year. The ranking places Slovakia behind countries including Namibia and Jamaica in terms of media freedom. Despite the marginal improvement, the RSF analysis highlights Slovakia's long-term decline in press freedom and ongoing political pressures faced by journalists. The report suggests that courts and journalists themselves are currently the primary forces protecting media freedom in the country, indicating institutional challenges to press independence.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Hungarian Alliance Excludes Smer and Republic Parties from Coalition Talks

The Hungarian Alliance has excluded Smer-SD and the Republic party from potential coalition discussions, according to party chairman Krisztián Forró. The Alliance leader stated that excluding these parties does not automatically mean his party will align with the opposition, suggesting the Alliance is maintaining flexibility in its political positioning. Forró expressed concerns that other parties may be attempting to exploit ethnic divisions, saying he feels "they want to play the Hungarian card." The Hungarian Alliance represents Slovakia's ethnic Hungarian minority and has historically played a pivotal role in coalition negotiations due to its position as a swing party that can work with both center-left and center-right formations.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Prime Minister Fico Under Scrutiny as European Funds at Risk

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico faces mounting challenges as investigations into his administration may have uncovered more damaging information than initially expected. The prime minister's actions are now threatening Slovakia's access to European Union funding, raising concerns about the country's financial relationship with Brussels. Meanwhile, the potential return of Richard Sulík, leader of the liberal opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), appears to pose additional political pressure on Education Minister Branislav Gröhling, who also belongs to a liberal opposition party. These developments highlight growing instability within Slovak politics as Fico's government, led by the populist Smer-SD party, grapples with both domestic opposition and international complications related to EU fund management.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Parliament Ends Session with Debate on Salary Freeze

The National Council, Slovakia's parliament, concluded its session with a debate on proposals to freeze salaries. Members of parliament discussed the various proposals in a joint debate format, though no details were provided about the specific salary freeze measures under consideration or their outcomes.

SME
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