The 50th Agrokomplex agricultural and food fair took place in Nitra from September 3 to 7, 2025, bringing together over 500 exhibitors and thousands of visitors for showcases, discussions and cultural events. (source: TASR - Henrich Mišovič)
The Slovak government has been accused of spending extravagantly on public spectacles even as it raises taxes and social contributions, with a flagship agricultural fair earlier this month costing more than €3.6 million – the most expensive in the country’s history, according to Sme daily.
The Agrokomplex exhibition in the western city of Nitra marked its 50th anniversary with a gala attended by President Peter Pellegrini, concerts, roundtable discussions and displays of farming machinery and livestock. Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč, a close ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico in the ruling Smer party, hailed it as the grandest edition yet.
But leaked contracts and public records show Takáč’s ministry spent 34 times more than his predecessor allocated last year – and almost eight times more than the 2023 budget. Much of the money was channelled through direct contracts that skirted open competition thanks to recent changes in procurement law. One deal worth €906,000 for the ministry’s own exhibition space fell just under the threshold requiring a public tender (€923,000). Another €893,000 was awarded to a private firm to produce an “interactive exposition” highlighting government-backed rural projects.
Critics have argued that the outlay represents a form of government self-promotion, pointing out that Agrokomplex is in theory a commercial event funded by exhibitor fees and ticket sales of up to €10. Opposition parties have questioned why taxpayers should cover such a large share of the costs.
The spending stands in sharp contrast with the government’s narrative of fiscal restraint. Fico has warned of the need to consolidate public finances and has already raised taxes and social security contributions. Yet millions continue to flow into ceremonies and commemorations: €750,000 for July’s Cyril and Methodius festival, €705,000 for World War Two commemorations in May, and more than €600,000 for this year’s Slovak National Uprising anniversary.
For Agrokomplex, visitor numbers – 92,000 – were broadly similar to previous years. The number of exhibitors also remained flat at around 520. What grew was the government’s footprint: the ministry rented 35,000 square metres of floor space, compared with just 4,000 last year.
To cap the celebrations, the cabinet pledged a further €1 million to modernise the state-owned exhibition centre, built in the 1970s and 80s.
