Pro-Russian Government in Slovakia Feels Threatened by Alleged Conspiracy

Robert Fico is facing significant challenges during his fourth term as Slovakia’s Prime Minister, with a fragile coalition and increasing public dissent. Protests have intensified following his controversial meeting with Putin, prompting opposition parties to initiate a no-confidence motion. Fico’s government claims these protests are influenced by foreign entities, while opposition leaders dismiss such allegations as exaggerated. Despite the turmoil, recent demonstrations against Fico’s policies have remained largely peaceful, reflecting widespread discontent with his leadership.

Robert Fico’s Turbulent Fourth Term in Slovakia

Robert Fico is currently navigating his fourth term as Slovakia’s Prime Minister, but this period has proven to be particularly challenging. His three-party coalition barely holds a majority in parliament and is showing increasing signs of division. Just six months into his term, Fico survived a shooting that left him seriously injured, with the official account labeling the assailant as an “opposition activist.” The opposition is a constant concern for the left-leaning nationalist leader, as a significant portion of the population is openly resisting his policies, evidenced by both polling data and consistent protests.

Growing Protests and Political Tensions

Recently, protests against Fico’s government have intensified. The catalyst for this surge in public dissent was Fico’s controversial trip to Moscow in December, where he met with Vladimir Putin. Fico defended his visit by claiming he aimed to secure vital Russian gas supplies for Slovakia. However, the opposition has condemned this move as a disgraceful pivot away from Europe and towards Russia. Since assuming office, Fico’s actions have suggested a desire to distance Slovakia from the European Union, reminiscent of Hungary under Viktor Orban’s leadership. A recent televised statement by a Smer party member hinted at the possibility of exiting the EU, depending on future circumstances.

In response to the growing discontent within Fico’s coalition, opposition parties introduced a motion of no confidence against the government earlier this week, with a vote scheduled for Tuesday. However, the government declared the session “not public,” citing a secret service report as the reason. In protest of this decision, most opposition members walked out, resulting in the vote not taking place.

Since that incident, the government has propagated a narrative claiming that the civil society protests are being infiltrated by foreign entities with the intent to instigate a coup. During a press conference, Fico warned that the secret service report indicated a significant threat to the nation, potentially destabilized by groups linked to previous pro-European protests in Georgia and Ukraine. He asserted that in a “normal democratic rule of law,” security forces would act against any unlawful occupation of state institutions, predicting that media from around the globe would cover these events.

Opposition representatives have dismissed claims regarding the secret service report as exaggerated and described the document as manipulated. On Thursday, the National Security Council convened a meeting attended by President Peter Pellegrini, who is aligned with Fico politically. After the meeting, Pellegrini acknowledged the serious nature of the situation in Slovakia.

Both Fico and Pellegrini have stated that while protests are permissible, they must remain within legal boundaries. Over the evenings of Thursday and Friday, tens of thousands demonstrated in various cities against the government’s anti-European stance, with the protests remaining peaceful.

This is not the first instance where Fico has alleged that protests against his administration are driven by foreign interests. In 2018, after widespread protests erupted following the assassination of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak, Fico suggested that these protests were orchestrated by an intermediary associated with American investor George Soros. Despite his efforts to maintain power, Fico had to resign during that crisis.

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