Bardejov Mayor Helped Stage Fico's Student Meeting to Avoid Critical Questions

The mayor of Bardejov, a town in northeastern Slovakia, helped orchestrate a carefully controlled meeting between Prime Minister Robert Fico and local students, allegedly ensuring no uncomfortable questions would be asked. Mayor Boris Hanuščák reportedly contacted school principals asking them to send students who would not ask Fico any critical questions. The incident raises concerns about the stage-management of public appearances by Fico, who leads Smer-SD, the ruling populist-nationalist party. Such orchestrated events draw scrutiny over whether the prime minister is being shielded from genuine public scrutiny, particularly among young people. The use of local officials to filter audiences for government leaders is widely seen as undermining authentic civic engagement and free expression.