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Fico calls Merz’s Russia warning “absolutely unacceptable”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during the official inauguration of Germany’s brigade for NATO’s eastern flank in Vilnius on Thursday, 22 May 2025. (source: TASR/AP/Mindaugas Kulbis)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Hungary and Slovakia could face increasing pressure from the European Union if they continue to obstruct the bloc’s common positions on Russia – signalling a more confrontational line toward its pro-Kremlin outliers.
“We will not be able to avoid a conflict with Hungary and Slovakia if we continue on this course,” Merz told the WDR Europaforum on Monday, according to German broadcaster n-tv. He stressed that decisions affecting all 27 member states must not be held hostage by “a small minority”.
The EU has tools at its disposal to address obstructionist behaviour, the chancellor noted, including infringement proceedings over rule-of-law violations and the suspension of EU funds. “We certainly have the option of withdrawing European funds,” Merz said. “I do not want these conflicts. But if necessary, we’ll resolve them.”
Prime Minister Robert Fico – who has met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow twice in less than a year and frequently accuses the West of fuelling the war in Ukraine rather than seeking peace, despite Slovakia’s ongoing commercial arms exports to Kyiv – has made clear he opposes any sanctions targeting Russian natural gas transported via pipelines.
Bratislava has so far not blocked any of the EU’s sanctions packages against Russia, including the bloc’s 17th, despite recent tensions within the governing coalition over the latest measures.
According to the official government programme, Slovakia “will evaluate proposals for sanctions against any country in the world based on analyses of their effectiveness in achieving intended goals, and especially on the basis of their economic and social impact on the citizens of Slovakia.”
German officials had long refrained from commenting publicly. But when criticism finally came from Slovakia’s most important economic partner, the political response in Bratislava was swift.
Fico hits back: Slovakia is not a schoolchild in need of lecturing, according to the prime minister. He warned that the “politics of a single mandatory opinion” undermines both national sovereignty and democratic values. “If you listen to the tone of these aggressive remarks, it’s hard not to feel we’re heading into dark times,” Fico said. He described Merz’s comments as “absolutely unacceptable in modern Europe,” adding: “Are we to be punished for not obeying? This is no way to build unity or foster cooperation.”
Prime Minister Robert Fico paid tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan on Tuesday, 27 May 2025. (source: TASR - Lukáš Mužla)
Interior minister rebukes Merz for “undermining” EU unity: Interior Minister and Hlas leader Matúš Šutaj Eštok accused Merz of damaging EU cohesion with comments warning of tensions over Bratislava’s political direction. “Germany is Slovakia’s key economic partner,” Šutaj Eštok said, but stressed that Slovakia is a “proud and sovereign EU member” and will not accept lectures. He urged Merz to take note of NATO’s praise for Slovakia’s reliability and referenced Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar, who recently criticised the EU’s refusal to maintain dialogue with Russia.
“We’re not German slaves”: Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko accused Merz of “colonial arrogance”. “Slovaks are not German slaves,” Danko said, warning that Berlin’s pressure tactics risk fracturing the European Union. Danko claimed powerful Western states had long manipulated EU mechanisms to strip eastern members of cheap energy and undermine their competitiveness. He also pointed the finger at German and French elites, arguing they were lashing out because they could no longer sustain the living standards their citizens had grown used to. “Germany has a huge migrant population and a social model they can’t afford anymore. Meanwhile, German firms take profits from Slovakia back home,” Danko said, while adding that Slovakia still welcomes German investment. What Merz said, he added, was “outrageously disrespectful” and unbecoming of any EU leader. “Slovakia is not a colony. The German chancellor must understand he is no more than our prime minister, Robert Fico, and must treat us with respect.”
Opposition parties accuse Fico of damaging key EU relationships: Slovakia’s opposition accused Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging the country into European isolation. “Germany’s chancellor made it clear he won’t play games with Robert Fico,” said Slovensko party leader Igor Matovič, calling Merz’s remarks proof that Fico is becoming a liability to Slovakia and the EU. “Fico is embarrassing the Union. If he keeps harming our country like this, we’ll end up like Hungary – cut off from European money.” Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Šimečka echoed the criticism, warning that Fico’s confrontational style is undermining Slovakia’s place in the bloc. “Germany is our most important partner. If the chancellor speaks like this, it confirms what we’ve been saying for months: Fico has pushed us into isolation. Our partners don’t trust us and see us as another Hungary.” The PS party also criticised Fico’s shifting stance on Russia sanctions, saying Slovakia’s alignment with Hungary in threatening to veto the next EU sanctions package needs urgent clarification. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár is expected to face questions from the parliamentary European affairs committee on 28 May.
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Civic chill: Bratislava’s crackdown on NGOs swaps the foreign agent label for bureaucracy. Rights groups warn the message is the same: keep quiet.
Advisor uproar: A prosecutor faces mounting political blowback after forwarding bribery allegations involving PM Fico’s adviser to police.
Audit revolution: Slovakia’s Chamber of Auditors is rolling out Europe’s first AI-powered audit platform.
Slide into summer: Eastern Slovakia’s lake escape just got more fun.
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FEATURE STORY
Why stay?
Some young Slovaks choose to stay — or return — not because it is easy, but because they believe they can make a difference at home. (source: Closer)
Five young Slovaks share why they have chosen to build their futures at home — despite political frustration, rising costs, and social division. Their stories reveal quiet resilience and a belief in change, from a barista who found purpose back home to a researcher who sees promise in Slovak academia. Some stay to resist democratic backsliding, others to create joy where it is most needed.
SLAPGATE
Smer MP accused of slapping activist
Smer MP Marián Kéry (source: FLICKR - NR SR)
Demokrati, one of the opposition parties, has urged Smer MP Marián Kéry to resign, accusing him of assaulting their activist during a petition event in Zlaté Moravce, Nitra Region, on 26 May. “He slapped our colleague, came back with a crony, threatened to break his arms and hit him again,” said party member Kristián Čechmánek, calling the incident “completely unacceptable”. Kéry denies wrongdoing: “I didn’t physically assault anyone,” he told My Nitra, claiming he was provoked by being called a “Smer mafia man”. Police are investigating the case. Deputy party leader Juraj Šeliga called for CCTV footage to be released and urged parliament to respond, saying such intimidation “has no place in public life”.
RELATED: Moscow-friendly MP Marián Kéry, one of the loudest voices in parliament against academic dishonesty, submitted a plagiarised university thesis to earn his master’s degree.
IN OTHER NEWS
Slovakia’s new Foreigners’ Service Centres, launched in late December 2024 and located in Bratislava, Žilina and Košice, have assisted over 2,300 clients with residence, visa and integration support, according to the Interior Ministry.
MPs convened on Tuesday for the final regular parliamentary session before the summer recess, with an overloaded agenda of more than 150 items, including two presidential vetoes. President Peter Pellegrini is set to deliver his first state of the republic address to lawmakers on 28 May.
The Environment Ministry has announced that bears legally culled under new population control measures can now be sold for consumption, including to restaurants – provided they obtain a certificate confirming the animal was lawfully hunted.
Slovakia has one of the highest concentrations of local governments in the EU, with nearly 54 municipalities per 100,000 people – second only to the Czech Republic – resulting in more than 2,900 small municipalities, most with fewer than 1,850 residents. According to Slovenská Sporiteľňa analyst Marián Kočiš, rationalising this fragmented structure through shared service centres, digitalisation, and deeper municipal integration could boost efficiency, save millions, and improve public services without threatening local identity. (SITA)
Employment inequalities persist across the EU, with 2024 data showing a 10-point gender employment gap and an even wider 24-point gap between people with and without disabilities. (source: Eurostat)
Slovakia's parliament on Tuesday approved a defence reform that replaces active military reserves with a new National Defence Force. The bill also establishes a Gendarmerie unit that could assist police with maintaining public order.
Eva Pellegrini, sister of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, has recently acquired a penthouse in a luxury seaside villa in Sukošan, Croatia, joining a list of Slovak political figures with property there, including the president’s very close friend and Hlas MP Peter Náhlik. (Aktuality.sk)
A mayor from central Slovakia was caught receiving a €40,000 bribe, according to police, as part of an alleged €80,000 payoff linked to rezoning and construction permits. He was detained on 21 May amid a broader crackdown on municipal-level corruption.
WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Mostly partly cloudy, becoming increasingly overcast to cloudy during the day. By the evening, rain or showers are expected in parts of the western half of the country, with isolated thunderstorms possible. Daytime highs will reach 20°C to 25°C, but only around 18°C in the Žilina Region and Upper Spiš. (SHMÚ)
A hiking trail signpost at the Rázcestie nad Rainerovou chatou junction in the High Tatras on 24 May 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
HAPPY NAME DAY: May 28 is a special day for Viliam, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
WHAT TO EXPECT ON WEDNESDAY
Meeting of the parliamentary committee on European affairs
President Peter Pellegrini delivers the State of the Republic address
Sessions of the Slovak government and the Slovak parliament
Meeting of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee
Arrival of the Spanish helicopter unit and its integration into the operational structure, organised by the Slovak Armed Forces in cooperation with the Spanish NATO contingent in Slovakia
Press conference with Tomáš Zdechovský, head of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control
European Mime Festival opens in the Trenčín Region
Results announced for Car of the Year Slovakia 2025
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