Slovak National Party MP Criticizes Own Coalition's Postal Voting Arguments

Roman Michelko, chairman of the Slovak National Party's parliamentary group and head of the cultural committee, distanced himself from his coalition partners' stance on postal voting, stating he would not "speak like a mindless fool" just because his boss tells him to. The comments come as Slovakia's cultural sector faces mounting tensions after the Arts Support Fund Council unexpectedly decided to cancel multi-year contracts, creating uncertainty and threatening the organization of several festivals. The current turmoil in the fund stems from a legal amendment that the Slovak National Party pushed through in 2024, with Michelko himself serving as one of its sponsors. The Slovak National Party is part of the ruling coalition government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer-SD party, making Michelko's public disagreement with coalition policy particularly notable in Slovak politics where party discipline is typically expected.