Pellegrini, Fico and Danko (left to right) signing their memorandum of understanding under the painting of Ľudovít Štúr. (source: Sme - Marko Erd)
Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Fico will be prime minister for the fourth time. What the rumoured nominee as foreign minister says about Smer’s attitude. A former president is found guilty of tax fraud following a trial that was criticised as politically motivated.
If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk.
Fico’s government in the making
Last week brought the election results home to everyone in Slovakia. Some are triumphant and some feel concerned, perhaps with a tinge of fear about what is really about to happen.
The news that Peter Pellegrini was ending talks with Progressive Slovakia and had sealed a deal with Fico and Danko put an end to commentaries assuring the readers that “it is not as bad as it could have been”. It is still true that Boris Kollár’s time in top politics is over, at least for now, and that Republika will not be represented in the house, optimists were keen to remind us.
But it is also true that Fico’s cabinet may include a fiercely pro-Russian and anti-diversity small-town mayor named Rudolf Huliak, formerly a candidate of the neo-fascist ĽSNS, as environment minister (he was quick to say that if he were to lead the government – a fantasy prospect – his first trip would be to Moscow, to “ask forgiveness” for Slovakia sending weapons to Ukraine). Or that the name of Fico’s right-hand-man, Robert Kaliňák, has popped up as the most likely nominee for the job of defence minister.
