Robert Fico’s return as Slovakia’s prime minister in 2023 has drawn significant concern both domestically and abroad with allegations that his administration has epitomised self-interest and political antagonism rather than worked on addressing pressing national issues. Socio-economically, Slovakia has been on a downturn, lagging behind many EU countries in various sectors, including economic performance, healthcare, and social well-being. In 2020, the country was ranked among the top for brain drain, with many high school graduates choosing to study abroad instead of remain in Slovakia. As Slovakia continues to fall behind its EU counterparts, frustration among citizens have grown regarding the future of governance and public services in the country. 

Róbert Fico has furthermore taken a few controversial steps since the start of his new tenure, including the abolition of Slovakia’s special prosecutor office, catching Brussel’s eye: ‘The European Commission is preparing to initiate proceedings in response to Slovak PM Robert Fico’s decision to abolish the Special Prosecutor’s Office, responsible for investigating corruption.’ Were the proceedings to follow through, it would cost Slovakia €13 billion as a penalty for non-compliance. Fico’s rhetoric has deepened societal divisions, consistently blaming opposition figures and previous governments for the nation’s woes, despite having ruled Slovakia for 14 of the last 20 years (since the establishment of the Slovak Republic in 1993).

Shortly after taking office, Fico and his coalition approved salary increases for government officials despite the country’s pressing economic challenges. As such, Fico now stands as the second-highest paid prime minister in the EU. Tax rates have likewise increased to 23%, one of the highest in the EU, contradicting Fico’s pre-election promises to avoid tax hikes. The decision has exacerbated living costs for everyday citizens, especially lower-income families. Accordingly, Fico’s leadership has been attacked for prioritizing self-preservation and political loyalty over the urgent needs of the country.

Fico has moreover been accusing the opposition of being responsible for the shooting Fico fell victim to earlier this year, leaving him wounded. Fico claims that the gunman was an activist aligned with opposition parties. An official statement on the instagram profile of the National Council of the Slovak Republic even supported the accusation despite no evidence to substantiate it, with no proof linking the shooter to the opposition in any way. Adding to the rhetoric, Fico argued that the shooting took place as a consequence of the opposition’s ostensible spread of hate. 

More recently, in a shocking appearance on Russian TV, the Slovak Prime Minister was seen blaming the West for the Russia-Ukraine war. As outlined in the BNN, ‘Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has sparked domestic, European and Ukrainian criticism. In the interview, Fico accused the West of “prolonging the war” by supporting Ukraine, described Western sanctions against Russia as ineffective and said he was ready for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.’ Michal Šimečka, an opposition leader of the social liberal Progressive Slovakia commented: ‘At home, his government is collapsing, healthcare is not a topic for the Prime Minister, but he will find time to serve Putin’.