UPDATED: Premier Fico to deliver Oxford Union speech during unofficial UK visit

Updated on 29 April 2025: Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on the evening of 28 April that he would not travel to the United Kingdom, despite his Government Office having confirmed the visit earlier in the day. “He had to prioritise talks with foreign investors who are prepared to support the construction of a new nuclear facility in Jaslovské Bohunice,” the Government Office said in a statement, as quoted by Denník N. PM Fico indicated that he would deliver his scheduled lecture at a later date.

According to The Slovak Spectator, staff from the Slovak embassy and security services visited the site on Friday in preparation for the visit. The Oxford Union said it received an email on Monday night stating that PM Fico would not attend, without any explanation or indication of whether the prime minister intended to reschedule the event.

A notice announcing the last-minute cancellation of Prime Minister Fico’s lecture at the Oxford Union on 29 April 2025. (source: Courtesy, James Thomson)

The Oxford Union building (source: Courtesy, James Thomson)

Prime Minister Robert Fico will address the Oxford Union on Tuesday, marking a return to the historic debating society more than a decade after his first appearance, according to Denník N. His brief visit to Britain, lasting only a few hours, will also include a tribute at the graves of Czech and Slovak RAF veterans.  

Fico’s trip to the United Kingdom is unofficial, and he will not be received by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Fico’s office did not announce the Oxford Union appearance during his Sunday press conference, merely stating he would speak to students. The Union, however, has confirmed his lecture on its official programme.

The Oxford Union, independent from the University of Oxford, has long cultivated future leaders, counting among its alumni Boris Johnson, David Cameron, and Theresa May. It has also drawn controversy by inviting polarising figures such as Donald Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon and Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

This year’s guest list has again provoked criticism. Searchlight magazine, a British anti-fascist publication, has labelled Fico “one of Europe’s most controversial right-wing populists”, citing his pro-Kremlin stance and attempts to undermine support for Ukraine.

Fico said his speech would focus on “Europe, sovereignty and the future”, similar to his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington earlier this year. No details have been provided about who invited him or who he will meet.

The Oxford Union will also host New York Times London bureau chief Mark Landler, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, and Trump ally Charlie Kirk in the coming weeks.