Report on Fico’s alleged villa published by Croatian outlet Večernji list. (source: https://www.vecernji.hr/)
Prime Minister Robert Fico has been forced to fend off fresh allegations from Croatian media that he is building a summer home in the coastal village of Ražanj, near Šibenik. Reports published by Večernji List and Šibenski claim that the long-serving Slovak leader has purchased land in the exclusive Adriatic enclave and begun construction.
Slovak media broke the story on the same day Fico attended the handover of the first 70 flats to the state-backed rental housing scheme – a flagship policy of his government – by investors, namely the Kooperativa insurance company.
The claims surfaced after local historian Ivo Mikuličin and retired engineer and former politician Blaž Deković shared details about the alleged real estate deal. However, while Croatian newspaper investigations have not uncovered any formal construction or planning permits linked to Fico, the news has already sparked political intrigue in Bratislava.
Slovak opposition MPs from the Slovensko movement are travelling to the area and have announced they will release more information later in the evening.
Ražanj, a quiet but upscale village between Šibenik and Split, is known for its luxury properties. A 70-square-metre apartment in the area reportedly costs around €400,000, making it a sought-after retreat for the political and business elite.
Last year, Slovak tabloid Nový Čas reported that Fico had holidayed in Ražanj during the summer.
Fico has vehemently denied the latest allegations.
“Dear media, stop spreading yet another monstrous lie that I am building a villa in Croatia,” he wrote on social media. “If I were constructing a house or an apartment in Croatia, I would have no problem admitting it. Hundreds of Slovak politicians, whether at the national, regional, or local level, own property there.”
Dismissing the claims as a political smear campaign, the prime minister insisted he has neither purchased land nor embarked on any construction project in Croatia.
“Such claims can be easily verified in the Croatian land registry. These lies, spread by Slovak media and political lunatics, hold as much weight as the rumour that I have a $700 million bank account in Belize or that I went on holiday to Hanoi, which never happened,” Fico added.
Fico visited Vietnam at the end of last year, but little information has been disclosed about his trip, fuelling speculation.
