Democracy Digest: Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland Overshadowed by Diplomatic Rift

Slovakia’s government is increasingly framing criticism of its economic management as a media problem. At a press conference this week, PM Robert Fico argued that the country’s public finances are fundamentally sound, pointing to debt of roughly 61 per cent of GDP – well below the EU and eurozone averages. Claims that Slovakia faces a Greek-style fiscal crisis, he suggested, are politically motivated rather than evidence-based. The headline comparison, however, obscures a more pressing concern: the pace of the country’s debt increase. While Slovakia, an export-oriented and small economy, is not among Europe’s most indebted economies, several independent institutions have warned that its combination of large budget deficits and rapidly rising borrowing sets it apart from many peers. Martin Suster, a member of Slovakia’s Council for Budget Responsibility, said debt is on course to record its largest increase of any parliamentary term since the country’s fiscal watchdog was established. Similar concerns have been expressed by the EU Commission, the National Bank of Slovakia and rating agency Moody’s. None disputes that Slovakia’s debt levels remain moderate by European standards; the issue is whether current policies are sustainable. The government, in power since late 2023, argues that it inherited weak public finances and has already implemented costly consolidation measures. However, official forecasts still project substantial deficits over the coming years, indicating that fiscal tightening has yet to change the overall trajectory. With an ageing population expected to exert increasing pressure on public spending, economists warn that today’s relatively comfortable debt ratio provides little assurance against future fiscal risks. It is worth noting that Fico is increasingly focusing on economic issues rather than predominantly on foreign policy. Some suggest this is because he has realised why his ally, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, was booted out of power. Orban also concentrated more on foreign policy than on economic issues during his campaign. Slovakia will hold parliamentary elections next year, and Fico appears to be, as suggested earlier this year, preparing for campaigning.

The killing of a primary school teacher in eastern Slovakia last weekend by her estranged husband is raising questions over whether a series of institutional failures left her unprotected, despite repeated warnings that she was at risk. The 45-year-old mother of two was stabbed to death less than two weeks after her husband was released from pre-trial detention, where he had been held for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill her. He had received a suspended prison sentence and court-ordered alcohol treatment before returning to the community. New details emerging from the case suggest multiple opportunities for intervention were missed. While the victim sought a court order preventing her husband from approaching her or entering the family home, a judge rejected the request on the grounds that he remained in custody at the time and therefore posed no immediate threat. No automatic review was carried out when he was later released. Domestic violence specialists argue that such protection orders can and should be imposed even while an offender is imprisoned, particularly where release is foreseeable. They also point to wider shortcomings, including the absence of routine reassessments of victim risk, limited use of electronic monitoring and a lack of coordinated communication between courts, prisons and police when violent offenders regain their freedom. Prosecutor General Maros Zilinka has called for a review of how high-risk domestic abuse cases are handled, while Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said the actions of the courts, prosecutors and prison authorities should all be examined. Justice Minister Boris Susko has so far maintained that the tragedy appears to be the result of an individual’s actions rather than systemic failings, although he has not ruled out a formal review. Last year, Slovakia recorded 17 femicides.