Eduard Chmelár. (source: TASR)
Eduard Chmelár, a former critic of Slovak Prime Minister and Smer party leader Robert Fico, was abruptly dismissed from his role as Fico’s political adviser on Wednesday evening.
“I was prepared for this outcome,” Chmelár, a combative intellectual with pro-Russian views who identifies himself as a socialist, wrote in a statement on social media.
The reason for his dismissal, Chmelár claims, stems from his outspoken criticism of Štefan Kuffa, Slovakia’s ultra-conservative deputy environment minister, who gained his position through the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS). Chmelár recently called Kuffa “an aggressive religious fanatic” after the deputy minister disrupted a theatre performance in eastern Slovakia, likening his image to that of Freddy Krueger, a horror film character. Kuffa, known for his vocal opposition to the LGBT+ community, has also called for Jesus to be recognised as the king of Slovakia.
Chmelár framed his dismissal by the prime minister as follows, “It’s a choice between religious fanatics and political extremists dictating government policy, or standing with the ideological heirs of the Slovak National Uprising,” he remarked, referencing the anti-Nazi resistance movement. “They’ve made their choice.”
Some observers suggest that the firing of Chmelar indicates Fico’s willingness to make significant sacrifices to maintain his fragile parliamentary majority and appease his smallest coalition partner, SNS, at any cost.
Chmelár’s criticism
Chmelár’s firing followed a public spat on Facebook with Tomáš Taraba, Slovakia’s ultra-conservative environment minister, who also ascended to power under the Slovak National Party. Chmelár had denounced Taraba as a “liar” and a “fascist,” a response to Taraba labelling him “a failed frustrated politician” and “progressive liberal.” Taraba, who defended Kuffa under Chmelár’s critical Facebook post, and Kuffa, previously ran on the ticket of the far-right ĽSNS party in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
In a twist of irony, Chmelár had just a year earlier defended Taraba when he was considered for a ministerial post in the Culture Ministry, though Chmelár had acknowledged their disagreements. Now, he describes his dismissal as having been handled without respect. He claims that Fico did not inform him directly, leaving it instead to an intermediary, Smer MEP and Fico’s chief adviser Erik Kaliňák, to deliver the news.
Chmelár also pointed to growing pressure from the Slovak National Party, which he says began pushing for his ousting late last year—though the party denies any involvement.
“Eduard Chmelár is of no interest to us,” the party said in a statement on Thursday.
Chmelár countered that if the party continues to lie about him, he will reveal the truth about the party’s inner workings.
Chmelár’s influence on social media
Though no longer working as Fico’s adviser, Chmelár’s influence on social media remains significant. With nearly 90,000 followers on Facebook and regular posts that gain substantial traction, he retains a platform that could cause headaches for the coalition. Tomáš Kriššák, an analyst at Gerulata, noted that Chmelár’s Facebook page consistently ranks among the top 20 most influential political accounts in Slovakia. Last year alone, Chmelár’s posts attracted 1.8 million interactions.
Yet his digital footprint remains smaller than that of Fico or Taraba. Earlier this year, the Facebook page “Dezinformácie Hoaxy Propaganda” reminded the public of Chmelár’s earlier critiques of Fico. In 2019, Chmelár even filed a criminal complaint against Fico after he defended Milan Mazurek, a far-right lawmaker convicted of anti-Roma statements. At the time, Fico himself faced accusations related to the case.
Despite his past hostility toward Fico, Chmelár transitioned into an advisory role last year, first counselling Smer MP Juraj Blanár, today’s foreign minister, before moving into Fico’s inner circle. Chmelár explained that his motivations for assisting Fico were rooted in a desire to ensure Slovakia remained a peaceful state.
“I convinced and influenced many people who would never have voted for Smer under normal circumstances,” Chmelár said, describing his decision to join Fico’s orbit. “Peace is my most sacred value, and no one else was willing to cultivate it.”
Disillusioned Chmelár
But Chmelár grew disillusioned. He was particularly angered by Slovakia’s continued commercial arms shipments to Ukraine, despite Fico’s pre-election promises to halt military aid. According to Chmelár, Fico dismissed his proposal for a Ukraine peace summit in Bratislava as futile.
“I won’t engage in battles that are lost before they even begin,” Fico allegedly told him.
As he departs from Fico’s administration, Chmelár offered a final assessment of the man he once criticised. Though many compare Fico to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Chmelár argues that the similarities are superficial.
“Fico talks like Orbán, but doesn’t act like him,” Chmelár said.
