Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have raised concerns about democratic backsliding in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government. They warned that the government’s recent actions, including undermining judicial independence and curbing media freedom, threaten the country’s democratic principles. The discussion specifically focused on the 2024 abolition of the special prosecutor’s office and ongoing threats to the Whistleblower Protection Office, which currently remains functional only due to a Constitutional Court suspension. Slovak government representatives, especially from Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer party, dismissed the criticisms, claiming they were politically motivated and exaggerated.
Date: February 12, 2026. Source: euobserver.com