In particular, Robert Fico stated that Putin allegedly accepted the decision to invade Ukraine because of “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists.”
This Saturday there will be elections in Slovakia, which the party of former Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his pro-Russian views, may win.
With controversial Kremlin sympathizer Robert Fico's opposition party leading in the polls, the West is watching with concern, a CNN article said.
“Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Slovakia has been one of the most staunch allies of Kiev. The two countries share a border, Slovakia was the first country to send air defense equipment to Ukraine, and it has accepted tens of thousands of refugees. But everything could change if Fico comes to power,” the publication notes.
CNN recalls that the former Slovakian prime minister has made no secret of his sympathies for the Kremlin and blames the mythical “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking dictator Putin to launch the invasion, repeating the false narratives that Putin used to justify his invasion.Fico called on the Slovak government to stop supplying arms to Kiev and said that if he became prime minister, Slovakia “would not send another batch of ammunition.” He also opposes Ukraine's entry into NATO.
Political scientist and president of the Institute of Public Relations Grigory Mesezhnikov pointed out that Fico is trying to present his attitude towards the Russian Federation as a “peaceful” initiative.
“He and his allies argue that we should not send weapons to Ukraine because “that this will prolong the war. They say: 'Peace will come if we stop supplying weapons to Ukraine,' because if we don't, the conflict will end faster. Therefore, in essence, they are not for peace, they are pro-Russian,” the expert explained .
Slovaks are vulnerable to Russian propaganda
According to a survey by the Bratislava-based security think tank GlobSec, only 40% of Slovaks believe Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine.
This is the lowest figure among eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics, where GlobSec was concentrated. In the Czech Republic, which was previously one state with Slovakia, 71% of people blame Russia for the war.
The same study found that 50% of Slovaks perceive the United States – the country's long-term ally – as a security threat.
Dominika Gaidu, policy director at the GlobSec Center for Democracy and Resilience, said Slovakia is uniquely vulnerable to Russian propaganda.< /p>
“Historically, there has always been a strong pan-Slavist narrative that Russia is the stronger brother who will protect the Slovaks from the Hungarians,” she added.
What is known about Fico< /h2>
Recall that Fico was Prime Minister of Slovakia for more than ten years, first between 2006 and 2010, and then again from 2012 to 2018.
He was forced to resign in March 2018 after weeks of mass protests over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Kuciak reported corruption among the country's elite, including people directly associated with Fico and his party.
Earlier, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said she feared pro-Russian revenge in the country and warned of a threat to Ukraine.
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