Bratislava – For virtually thirty years, Robert Fico has been one in every of Slovakia’s hottest, but in addition most polarizing, politicians. While the rich, educated center class within the liberal capital Bratislava and different bigger cities despise him, most residents of the economically deprived peripheral areas revere him. This is repeatedly mirrored within the outcomes of parliamentary elections, wherein the nation splits into two fully totally different components.
Fico’s political rise started within the Nineties as an inner-party insurgent within the “Party of the Democratic Left” (SDL), based by former reform communists. When the Left Party entered a coalition with conservative and liberal events led by Christian Democrat Mikulas Dzurinda in 1998, Fico based his personal social gathering, Smer (Direction).
By denouncing the rampant corruption of the Dzurinda authorities, he grew to become the most well-liked politician for years and took over the management of a authorities for the primary time in 2006. Since then, his opponents have solely been capable of quickly oust him from energy in two brief phases from 2010 to 2012 and 2018 to 2023. However, his lengthy reign meant that the previous anti-corruption fighter was more and more surrounded by free riders and shady entrepreneurs who wished to get entangled in energy. Fico himself grew to become a symbolic determine for corruption.
Journalist homicide shakes nation – Fico resigns
In 2018, the double homicide of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova shook his energy base. In the course of the homicide investigation, the opposition media more and more revealed suspicions of corruption that reached into the very best authorities workplaces. Under stress from mass demonstrations, Fico was compelled to resign. Since then, he has complained that the opposition and media retailers near them organized a sort of coup by creating the impression that his authorities was immediately concerned within the homicide of journalists.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which violated worldwide legislation and which Fico had at all times condemned, his opponents have dubbed him a “pro-Russian” politician based mostly on the mannequin of Hungary’s Viktor Orban. In reality, Fico repeatedly makes crucial statements in opposition to the “corrupt” Ukrainian management, however on the EU degree he helps all sanctions in opposition to Russia with out objection.