Robert Fico

Slovaks will vote in a referendum on canceling lifelong payments for populist Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms end. The referendum, organized by the Democrats opposition party with over 350,000 signatures, also addresses reopening the special prosecutor and National Criminal Agency, which were abolished in 2024 by Fico’s government amid public protests.

Slovaks will vote in a referendum to decide whether to cancel lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms end, and to reopen the special prosecutor and National Criminal Agency offices. The referendum follows a petition by the Democrats party and a 2024 assassination attempt on Fico, which led to the introduction of the payments for politicians.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will oppose NATO's proposal to secure multi-billion dollar weapons and military support contracts for Ukraine. He plans to consult with Slovak officials to ensure the national delegation attends the July 7-8 NATO summit in Ankara without approving further military loans or financial contributions for Kyiv.

Czech public broadcasters staged a warning strike against a government plan to shift funding from user fees to the state budget, which critics argue could threaten media independence. The plan, approved by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's coalition government, would reduce funding by 15% and lead to layoffs and program cancellations.

Thousands of Czechs protested against a government plan to shift public broadcaster funding from fees to the state budget, fearing threats to media independence. Critics, including international media organizations, argue the move could enable political control, similar to situations in Slovakia and Hungary.

Thousands of Czechs protested against a government plan to shift public broadcaster funding from fees to the state budget, fearing it would compromise media independence. Critics, including international media organizations, argue the change could enable government control, similar to populist regimes in Slovakia and Hungary.

India and Slovakia have decided to elevate their bilateral ties to the status of a Comprehensive Partnership, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico highlighted shared interests and expressed admiration for India's achievements across various fields.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal to grant Ukraine associate EU membership status without voting rights during accession negotiations. Fico argued the EU should prioritize other candidate countries instead, while Ukraine concerns that temporary arrangements could delay its full membership bid.