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[Celerity]

15. Slovakia is not in good shape atm. Robert Fico is taking them down a hard RW, illiberal, nationalist, Putin-hugging path

this is from a year ago:



https://www.freiheit.org/central-europe-and-baltic-states/path-illiberal-democracy

One year after the election and the renewed takeover by Robert Fico, a clear trend towards illiberal democracy is emerging in Slovakia. With his populist agenda and a pro-Russian as well as increasingly authoritarian style of governance, Fico is advancing extensive control over institutions, prompting critics to compare these developments with those in Hungary and Poland under the former PiS government. This comprehensive centralization of power is meeting resistance from civil society, the liberal opposition, and European institutions, who view democratic principles and the rule of law as threatened. Fico is also attempting to silence these voices as effectively as possible.

Following the snap parliamentary elections in September 2023, Robert Fico, the leader of the social-democratic, yet now strongly populist party SMER-SD (Direction – Social Democracy), was appointed as prime minister for the fourth time (with interruptions). The ruling coalition consists of SMER-SD, HLAS-SD (Voice – Social Democracy, the party of the current president Peter Pellegrini), and the SNS (Slovak National Party), which holds positions ranging from right-wing populist to far-right. Since his return, Slovak politics has been marked by dynamic yet polarizing developments, evoking associations for many observers with the pathways to illiberal democracy seen in Poland and Hungary – though the speed and radicalism of reforms in Slovakia are unprecedented. Fico's increasingly authoritarian style of governance is particularly evident in his control over central institutions and a foreign policy heavily aligned with Russia and China, which has raised security concerns within the EU.

Power Takeover and Control of the State Apparatus

Since October 2023, Fico has been systematically reshaping the Slovak state apparatus. On the very first day of his government’s swearing-in, the police leadership was replaced. This was followed by a criminal law reform that, among other things, included the dissolution of the special prosecutor's office for corruption cases and a reduction in penalties for corruption offenses. These reforms have raised concerns within the EU, which even considered freezing its cohesion funds for Slovakia temporarily. Although Slovakia’s Constitutional Court confirmed the constitutionality of these reforms, Fico was forced to make some adjustments under EU pressure, specifically to strengthen protections for the EU’s financial interests. Ultimately, the EU funds were released. However, a series of problematic changes were adopted without modification; the special prosecutor's office no longer exists, and the reduction in penalties for thefts is likely a major reason for the increase in petty crime in Slovakia.

Additionally, the National Criminal Agency (Slovak abbreviation NAKA), which had previously investigated numerous corruption cases involving prominent SMER members, was dissolved. In its place, a new unit for combating organized crime was established. The intelligence service also came under Fico’s control: a politically well-connected head – the son of an SMER deputy – was appointed, without the consent of then-President Zuzana Čaputová. These incidents clearly suggest that political loyalty in the country’s most significant institutions is being prioritized over competence and transparency, crossing a clear line of what is expected from the leadership of a democratic country. Political loyalty and nepotism in key positions within the state apparatus are among the most prominent characteristics of an authoritarian state.

Pressure on Media and Civil Society..............

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