Last weekend, the vice-president of the Slovak Parliament Tibor Gašpar, caused large confusion in his country with a message suggesting that Slovakia could consider leaving the European Union and NATO in the future. Gašpar stated that the "currently" SMER-SD organization (group of Prime Minister Robert Fica) does not have specified a step for its purposes. However, in his opinion, both organisations are developing in a direction that may consequence in their basic rules of operation being different in the future than erstwhile Slovakia joined them and these changes are not necessarily compatible with the interests of the country. Gašpar's message was a reaction to the SaS opposition proposal, which advocated membership of the Union in the Constitution.
From the Polish perspective, Gašpar's message may not seem overly revolutionary, due to the fact that in fresh years, any crucial Polish politicians have already considered it. In Slovakia, however, this is the first message of specified an crucial policy which undermines the future of Slovakia in the Union and in NATO.
Gašpar's views were cut off by the coalition HLAS (one of the 3 parties forming the ruling coalition), as well as president Peter Pellegrini. However, this does not change the clear direction of Slovakia's policy over the last year. Prime Minister Robert Fico met Putin in Moscow last December. A delegation from the Slovak Parliament, including Gašpar and another vice-president Andrej Danko, from the 3rd coalition organization of the SNS, besides late traveled to Russia. In their relations on social media, broadcast during this visit, they were affirmative about the situation in Russia and the possibilities of cooperation with it. The intent of these visits was to guarantee that gas supplies from Russia were discontinued (due to the expiry of the transit agreement through Ukraine). However, the actions of the Slovak government on this issue have proved to be completely ineffective. At the same time, relations with Ukraine were very cool. Fico has in fresh weeks blamed the Ukrainians for deliberately harming Slovaks, and has been in verbal harassment with president Zelenski.
Opposition parties and many commentators point out that the government's aggressive policy and effort to polarise society is trying to distract Slovaks from real everyday problems. And there are quite a few these recently:
A fewer weeks ago, Slovakia threatened to completely paralyse wellness services due to mass statements from doctors who felt that the government did not comply with erstwhile agreements. The conflict was only temporarily resolved.
In fresh days, due to a hacking attack, the activities of state mortgage archives have been completely blocked, preventing any real property transactions.
There was besides a tragedy at the school in Spiska Stara Wieś close the border with Poland – 1 of the students fatally injured the teacher and the student. This was the 3rd specified situation in Slovak schools in fresh years.
Against the government's violent changes in cultural institutions, Slovak artists are protesting massively. The government has taken control of the public media, and is consistently debating the tightening of the screw to civilian organizations.
The state budget is in mediocre condition and the government has so decided to raise, from 1 January, the VAT rate on most goods. The base rate was raised from 20 to 23% and reduced from 10 to 19% (a fresh 5% rate was introduced at the same time for basic articles). The economical situation of many families has deteriorated.
At the same time, power has interior problems. 3 Members left the coalition SNS, resulting in the coalition now having only 76 votes officially in a 150-member parliament (although the 3 mentioned frequently vote with the government all the time). Sometimes 4 HLAS MPs break out of discipline. As a consequence of interior disputes since the summertime of the erstwhile year, the coalition has not been able, among others, to elect the president of Parliament (previous – Peter Pellegrini, then became president of Slovakia). Parliament is inactive missing 1 of the Vice-Presidents, as the only typical of the opposition was dismissed from the Bureau a while ago.
The opposition accuses Fica's government of inability, violation of the essential interests of Slovakia and failure of ability to regulation effectively. He wants an accelerated election. However, according to the current polls, even if they were now held, they would not gotta radically change the political scenery in the country. no of the parties can alternatively trust on a unchangeable majority, and it would most likely be essential to make a multiparty coalition or we would have a post-election pat.
Rafał Dymek
Schuman Foundation expert
Photo: AK / Kremlin Pool / Zuma Press / Forum
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