Good to have you with us! Here is the latest edition of Today in Slovakia - all the top news from Thursday, wrapped up in one place!
PM Fico’s new enemy no. 1
Smer MEP Erik Kaliňák (source: TASR - Jakub Kotian)
According to Slovakia’s ruling Smer party, the latest addition to the list of people and institutions supposedly threatening the country is Mamuka Mamulashvili, the Georgian commander of the National Legion. Despite having fought against Russian aggression in Ukraine since 2014, Mamulashvili is now accused of orchestrating an alleged coup attempt in Slovakia – an assertion made by Prime Minister Robert Fico last week ahead of anti-government protests.
Smer has a history of pointing the finger at external actors. Previous targets have included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US philanthropist George Soros, and even the US embassy in Slovakia. This time, Erik Kaliňák, Smer MEP and chief adviser to PM Fico, is directing his accusations at Mamulashvili.
In a video made at the Slovak embassy in Georgia – already viewed more than 360,000 times on Facebook – Kaliňák speaks of “chilling meetings” in Georgia and claims to have uncovered “disturbing information.” Kaliňák, who met with Georgia’s foreign minister and the head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, says he discussed how anti-government protests – which he frames as coup attempts – unfolded in Georgia, who was behind them, and how they were financed. According to him, the same actors are now involved in Slovakia’s political unrest.
“As in Slovakia, organisers in Georgia were financed from abroad through various NGOs,” Kaliňák said, alleging that the goal in both countries was to “exploit legitimate protests to provoke conflict” between security forces and demonstrators through the use of provocateurs. As supposed evidence, Kaliňák published a photograph of Lucia Štasselová, a co-organiser of Slovakia’s ongoing anti-government protests from the Peace for Ukraine initiative, posing with Mamulashvili.
The Slovak government plans to adopt a bill on transparency for foreign-funded NGOs, echoing similar legislation in Hungary and Georgia that critics say is designed to stifle civil society.
Mumalashvili responds: Mamuka Mamulashvili, the Georgian commander at the centre of Slovakia’s latest political controversy, has brushed off claims that he is involved in an alleged coup attempt, calling the accusations “laughable.” “I honestly don’t understand this supposed link to Slovakia. I don’t visit the country often, and if they want to ban me from entering, they are welcome to do so,” Mamulashvili told Denník N, insisting that he has no political connections in Slovakia. “I can assure you with a clear conscience that I have nothing to do with politics there.” He also said he was aware of attempts to discredit his group. Mamulashvili added that he does not closely follow Slovak politics and does not know Štasselová, the activist whom Kaliňák linked to him.
Štasselová responds: Lucia Štasselová has rejected claims made by MEP Kaliňák, clarifying that the photograph in question was taken on May 16, 2023 at Nová Cvernovka, a cultural centre in Bratislava. She said Mamulashvili had attended a discussion hosted by the newspaper Denník N, where the conversation focused on the war in Ukraine. “I do not personally know this fighter,” Štasselová told the newspaper Sme, adding that she is not in contact with him. “From the very beginning, the ruling coalition has been trying to discredit the protests as well as the Peace for Ukraine initiative,” she said.
Diplomatic row: Slovakia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine’s ambassador to Bratislava, Myroslav Kastran, on January 29 to lodge a formal protest over remarks made by Ukrainian officials, as tensions between the two neighbours continue to rise. The diplomatic spat follows a series of critical statements from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who in January repeatedly condemned Prime Minister Fico’s push to restore Russian gas transit through Ukraine. The situation escalated further on January 28 when Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry issued a scathing response to Fico’s rhetoric, after he labelled Zelensky an “enemy of Slovakia.” “Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, amidst falling trust among Slovak society and protests against his pro-Russian course, resorted to looking for enemies – and found them in Ukraine,” the ministry said. “We consider these absurd statements an attempt to shift responsibility for his own failures in domestic policy onto foreign states and leaders. We would advise looking not outside, but in the mirror.” Bratislava was quick to retaliate. On Thursday, Ukraine’s foreign ministry summoned Slovakia’s designated ambassador to Kyiv, Pavol Vízdal, to express its “strong objection” to claims by the Slovak government that Kyiv was interfering in Slovakia’s internal affairs. Deputy Minister Olexandr Mischenko did not hold back, saying he was “deeply disappointed” that Fico was acting as a “mouthpiece for the Kremlin.”
First to fall: Slovakia is set to expel a Ukrainian citizen in connection with claims of an alleged coup plot. The planned expulsion was hinted at by newly appointed police chief Jana Maškarová following a meeting of the parliamentary defence and security committee. However, no further details have been provided, leaving questions over the basis of the decision and the identity of the individual involved. Four individuals have been banned from entering Slovakia in connection with an alleged coup plot, with five more set to face the same restriction soon, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok said on Thursday.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Fico’s latest distraction: Instead of tackling Slovakia’s real problems, the prime minister is chasing an impossible amendment.
Slovakia’s energy lifeline: The Trans-Balkan pipeline offers an alternative, but reliability and cost remain open questions.
Not for the faint-hearted: Opposition MP Simona Petrík sounds the alarm on the state of maternity care.
3 things to do in Bratislava: Mark your calendars for “Žijeme na Slovensku” (We Live in Slovakia) – a special event celebrating International Human Fraternity Day this Saturday, February 1, at the Old Market Hall.
Developers’ dialogue or PR playground: The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava plans to launch TU-BA, a new space for urban discussions, exhibitions, and lectures. Bratislava’s mayoral ranks aren’t thrilled about the city’s latest “platform for dialogue.”
TV review: “Pressburg” – a dramedy about multiculturalism, mischief, and modern Slovakia – soared to #1 in the country’s Netflix charts in December.
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HIKING
Hiking through the inversion
Towards Veľká Javorina (source: Jana Liptáková.)
What happens when you set off on a hike in bleak winter weather? If you’re lucky, you break through the mist and step into a sun-drenched world above the clouds. Veľká Javorina, a hill steeped in history and Czech-Slovak camaraderie, delivered a magical winter surprise.
LESSON LEARNED (?)
Minister’s Munich visit
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) flew to Munich on January 29 aboard a government plane, coinciding with Slovan Bratislava’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich. The minister denied travelling for the game, stating that his trip was for a pre-planned bilateral meeting with Bavaria’s interior minister, where they discussed illegal migration. He claimed he had been invited to the match but had “politely declined” and would only watch it on TV if time allowed. The trip drew comparisons to last summer, when government officials faced criticism for using state aircraft to attend Slovakia’s Euro 2024 matches.
IN OTHER NEWS
Slovakia’s political turbulence is reflected in the latest AKO poll, which shows a sharp decline in undecided voters as tensions mount. Progressive Slovakia (PS) leads with 24.6 percent, narrowly ahead of PM Fico’s Smer at 22.5 percent. Both parties gained support. The survey, conducted from January 14 to 24, did not capture the fallout from Hlas’s internal rift, including the expulsion of MPs Samuel Migaľ and Radomír Šalitroš. (Sme)
The INEKO institute has published its latest rankings of Slovakia’s best primary and secondary schools. Bratislava’s Mudroňova Primary School achieved the highest results among primary schools, while the Business Academy on Kukučínova Street in Trnava defended its top spot among vocational secondary schools. In the grammar school category, GAMČA, the Grösslingova Gymnasium in Bratislava, secured first place.
Three Slovaks – Miroslav Radačovský, Adam Lučanský, and Peter Marček – acted as fake election observers in Belarus’s presidential election, according to the European Platform for Democratic Elections. Official exit polls gave Alexander Lukashenko over 87 percent of the vote. While the Czech government dismissed the election as a regime farce, Slovakia’s government did not respond in a similar manner. (Denník N)
Slovakia is in the grip of a flu epidemic, with cases surging by 40 percent in the past week. Health officials warn that the worst is yet to come, though the Public Health Authority insists there is no cause for panic. The spike in acute respiratory infections and flu cases is described as typical for this time of year. So far, 270 educational institutions have suspended classes, including 124 nursery schools, 144 primary schools, and two secondary schools. (Pravda)
Four former RTVS (now STVR) journalists have won their legal battle against the Slovak public broadcaster after the Bratislava Regional Court upheld an earlier ruling in their favour. Matúš Baňovič, Kristián Čekovský, Jana Alexová (formerly Masárová), and Matúš Dávid sued RTVS over the abrupt termination of their contracts in 2018, during a dispute between the newsroom and the broadcaster’s management under then-director Jaroslav Rezník. The journalists, who had external contracts allowing RTVS to end their employment with a month’s notice, were among those who signed an open letter criticising the leadership. Shortly after, their contracts were terminated. The court ruled that despite their contractual status, they were effectively employees and that RTVS had violated their rights by failing to provide proper employment contracts and unlawfully dismissing them. (Denník N)
Slovakia’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCKB) has issued a warning about a heightened risk of cyberattacks, particularly targeting operators of essential services and critical infrastructure. Authorities caution that a new wave of cyber threats – including ransomware attacks, vulnerability scanning, and spear-phishing based on previous data leaks – could soon hit institutions. Schools and universities are also advised to brace for another large-scale bomb threat email campaign.
Friday’s “Slovakia is Europe” protest in Bratislava drew an official crowd of 40,000 to 41,000 people, despite organisers initially estimating up to 60,000. After analysing images, the Peace for Ukraine initiative confirmed the turnout. Organisers apologised for the inaccurate estimate. The protest was a response to the policies of Robert Fico’s government, which organisers say threaten democracy and Slovakia’s pro-European direction.
Slovak footballer Milan Škriniar will finish the season on loan at Fenerbahçe Istanbul in the Turkish Süper Lig. The club has officially confirmed the signing of the defender and an agreement with his parent club, Paris Saint-Germain. (Denník N)
A monitoring vehicle at a press conference on a security and enforcement operation targeting the prevention and elimination of secondary illegal migration at the Slovak-Hungarian border, January 30, 2025, in Bratislava. (source: TASR - Jakub Kotian)
FRIDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: A rather moody sky awaits, with clouds dominating for much of Friday, though the odd sunny spell may sneak through here and there. Early risers, beware – patchy fog could be lurking in places. As for the rain, a few showers will make an appearance, particularly in the north, where higher ground will see snow creeping down to mid-levels as the day goes on. Temperatures? A mild 7 to 12°C in most areas, but a chillier 4 to 7°C for Kysuce, Orava, and the foothills of the Tatras. If you’re heading up to 1,500m, expect a brisk -2°C. Winds will stay mostly light, but in the west – and later, elsewhere – expect a northwesterly breeze picking up to around 25 km/h – just enough to remind you it’s still winter. (SHMÚ)
In the photo: Skiing at the ski resort in the Levočská dolina valley, eastern Slovakia, on January 22, 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
PARTY TIME: January 31 is Emil’s special day, so if you happen to know one, don’t forget to send him your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
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