Activists in Lučenec Warn Against Rising Extremism and Pro-Russian Sentiment in Slovakia

Four civic activists from Lučenec, a town in southern Slovakia, have spoken out against what they describe as government legitimization of extremism and pro-Russian sentiment in their region and across the country. The group includes lawyer Martin Landl, former teacher Eva Martinková, software company owner and cultural association operator Krasimír Damjanov, and translator Radomír Hrivňák from nearby Holiša village. The activists organize protests and community engagement events while working to counter extremist influences in their local area. Their concerns reflect broader tensions in Slovakia over the current government's approach to extremist groups and its stance toward Russia, particularly as the country has seen increased polarization since the 2023 parliamentary elections that brought Robert Fico's Smer-SD party back to power in coalition with nationalist parties.