Welcome to Today in Slovakia – your Tuesday briefing with the top news in one place.
Bratislava police arrest dozens linked to neo-Nazi gang
Alleged neo-Nazi group members behind winter attacks in Bratislava. (source: TV JOJ)
On Tuesday, police arrested more than 20 individuals suspected of belonging to a violent neo-Nazi gang that terrorised central Bratislava over the winter. The group, known as Valhalla and operating under aliases such as White Zone SS, filmed their attacks on innocent people, sharing the footage with hateful captions on Telegram and TikTok before later deleting their accounts.
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) confirmed the arrests, describing the gang as a “long-term target” of law enforcement and accusing it of spreading far-right extremism.
Although the investigation began in late January, police only acted decisively after the Slovak daily Sme began identifying suspects and questioning official inaction. Among those arrested are minors, some of whom were detained at school.
The group’s violent activities, including a chase inside a McDonald’s restaurant, were initially treated as minor offences until journalists exposed their ideological motivations and links to neo-Nazism and Norse mythology.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Investor pessimism: Confidence among European investors in Slovakia continues to decline, as concerns over economic policy, rising costs, and labour shortages weigh on business outlooks and investment plans.
Digital duty: Most Slovak businesses must redesign their websites and apps for users with disabilities by June 2025 or risk fines of up to €30,000.
Final whistle: Slovakia showed heart and discipline but couldn’t find enough goals, finishing their World Championship campaign with a 1–2 loss to Finland and their worst result in eight years.
Eastward turn: Prime Minister Robert Fico has praised China and Vietnam as models of effective governance, declaring liberal democracy a failure and calling for Slovakia to rethink its alignment with Western political norms.
Russian ties: A Russian-owned firm linked to the FSB – the Kremlin’s main security and intelligence service – ran business from Slovakia while supplying sensitive electronics to Moscow’s military intelligence units.
Making waves: Rimavská Sobota has unveiled what it claims is central Europe’s largest wave pool, hoping the bold project will revive tourism.
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SPORT
Born in 1924, still running strong
Košice Peace Marathon owes its establishment to the 1924 summer Olympics in Paris. (source: TASR)
The Košice Peace Marathon, held in eastern Slovakia, is the oldest traditional marathon in Europe and the third oldest in the world. Founded in 1924 by journalist Vojtech Braun Bukovský, it began with just eight runners and has grown into a globally recognised event, drawing thousands through the historic streets of Košice.
WAR OF WORDS
Demokrati strike back
After police, prompted by Smer, charged Peter Laťák, a member of the non-parliamentary Demokrati party, over metaphorical statements made about Prime Minister Robert Fico during anti-government protests – such as “the last nail in Fico’s coffin” – the party announced it would file a criminal complaint against Fico himself.
The complaint concerns a 2023 press conference titled The Last Nail in the Čurillas’ Coffin – a reference to a group of anti-corruption investigators who were once involved in high-profile cases linked to Fico’s previous cabinets, before being sidelined by the current interior minister. The group is named after one of the investigators. According to Demokrati, if Laťák’s comments, which expressed a wish to see the end of Fico’s political career, not Fico’s death, are deemed criminal, then Fico’s own statements at the press conference should also be viewed as a “dangerous threat”.
The party also noted that, while in opposition between 2020 and 2023, Fico encouraged supporters to chant “we must bring the president down”, referring to then-president Zuzana Čaputová. In 2022, when Slovakia signed a defence cooperation agreement with the USA, Smer erected billboards portraying political opponents as “traitors to the nation” – which senior Smer figure Robert Kaliňák recently described as a form of “legitimate criticism”.
“They betrayed Slovakia and invited the US Army in,” reads the 2022 billboard. (source: Facebook)
As for the charge against Laťák, it remains unclear whether he has actually been charged, despite wishes and claims made by coalition politicians. Laťák told the Slovak daily Sme that he has not received any formal notification. In the interview, he also stated that the police officers who questioned him – in the town where he resides – had received the questions from Bratislava and were not permitted to ask anything else. “The questions they got from Bratislava and were not allowed to deviate from were tendentious – they were designed to make me look like a dangerous man,” he said, suggesting that the entire thing was orchestrated by the coalition.
IN OTHER NEWS
Austria has reopened small border crossings with Slovakia and Hungary, reversing closures introduced in early April in response to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in both countries.
Slovakia’s Supreme Court has overturned the verdict acquitting Marian Kočner in the case of the 2018 murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, citing serious flaws in the original ruling. A different panel of judges will now re-examine the case.
Slovakia did not vote against the pandemic treaty during Tuesday’s WHO session. Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas) now plans to explain to the prime minister and the public that the treaty does not threaten national sovereignty or introduce mandatory vaccination, though Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) maintains his opposition. “Smer will never support it. It is a bad and dangerous agreement,” the premier said on Tuesday.
Bratislava’s M. R. Štefánik Airport recorded its first profit in over a decade and a half, closing 2024 with earnings of nearly €2.5 million. The turnaround followed a year-on-year increase in revenue from €32 million to €37 million. Several factors contributed to the improved performance: the expansion of cargo operations, authorisation to handle larger aircraft, reduced energy costs, and an overall decrease in operating expenses. The airport handled more than 1.9 million passengers last year, marking a 7 percent increase compared to 2023. Aircraft movements also rose by 6 percent, exceeding 28,000.
President Peter Pellegrini and President of the European Court of Auditors Tony Murphy during their meeting in Bratislava on 20 May 2025. (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
Slovakia’s economy is expected to grow by 1.5 percent in 2025, driven by private consumption and strong public investment, particularly from EU and defence funds, according to the European Commission. While exports remain subdued due to global uncertainty and trade restrictions, steady wage growth and increased spending of recovery funds are set to provide a buffer against external headwinds. In 2026, real GDP growth is projected to ease slightly to 1.4 percent, with fiscal consolidation posing a potential risk to the outlook.
The Hlas party has called on the EU to reinstate tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian imports, arguing the current trade exemptions harm Slovak farmers and food producers. MEP Branislav Ondruš claimed European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič supports ending the temporary regime, which expires on 5 June. Economy Minister Denisa Saková said countries such as France, Spain, Poland and Hungary also back the proposal.
During a Monday meeting in Beijing with Zhao Leji, Chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Slovak parliamentary speaker Richard Raši (Hlas) expressed support for the Chinese-Brazilian peace initiative on Ukraine. Raši also expressed Slovakia’s interest in a more balanced trade relationship, increased exports, and high-value Chinese investments, and welcomed China’s support for establishing a Slovak Cultural Institute in Beijing. “We are also ready to welcome a similar Chinese Cultural Centre in Bratislava,” Raši wrote on social media.
The European Union has approved its 17th package of sanctions against Russia. The measures target the so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, expand export controls on key industrial components, and blacklist dozens of individuals and entities connected to the war in Ukraine. The package has been backed by all member states, including Slovakia and Hungary. The sanctions do not include a ban on imports of liquefied natural gas.
WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Wednesday will be partly to mostly cloudy, with skies gradually becoming overcast in some areas. Showers or light rain are expected in places, particularly in central Slovakia. Afternoon highs will range from 18°C to 23°C, with slightly warmer temperatures possible in southern regions and around Záhorie. At 1,500 metres above sea level, temperatures will be around 9°C. Winds will be calm or light. (SHMÚ)
A winding road through clover fields beneath Černecký Hill near the village of Sobotište, Senica District, Trnava Region, on Wednesday, 14 May 2025. (source: TASR - Martin Medňanský)
HAPPY NAME DAY: May 21 is a special day for Zina, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
WHAT TO EXPECT ON WEDNESDAY
9:00 – Bratislava Zoo to reopen under strict hygiene measures
9:00 – President Peter Pellegrini to appoint the new president of the Supreme Court
10:00 – The government to hold its session
15:00 – Prime Minister Robert Fico to visit the Finance Ministry
16:30 – Press conference on the Grape Festival, a popular summer event
18:00 – Night of Literature to take place in Bratislava and other Slovak towns
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