Good to have you on board! Here’s your latest Today in Slovakia – Thursday’s top news, all in one place.
Fico on arms for Ukraine: “We’ll trade, not donate”
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, speaks with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (source: TASR/AP/Omar Havana)
At the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, Prime Minister Robert Fico insisted that any EU military aid package for Ukraine remain voluntary, rejecting mandatory contributions to a proposed €40 billion fund.
“No one can force Slovakia to divert €250 million from its budget for weapons at the expense of domestic priorities,” he said.
Slovakia has consistently opposed providing Ukraine with free military aid and insisted that each EU member state retain the right to decide its level of support. This position was reflected in summit conclusions.
“We will take full advantage of this voluntary approach,” Fico said. “Slovakia will not contribute a single cent from its budget for weapons for Ukraine.”
While EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine, divisions over military assistance remained. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, had pushed for a coordinated increase in aid, but resistance from major economies—including Italy, Spain and France—led to a scaled-back proposal focusing on artillery ammunition supplies.
The summit’s final declaration also called on Russia to demonstrate genuine political will to end the war, a stance opposed only by Hungary.
Related: Support for Ukraine was not the only item on the agenda—Europe’s competitiveness also took centre stage. Prime Minister Fico reiterated his call to resume gas transit through Ukraine, arguing it would help drive down energy prices across the continent. He described discussions on a potential savings and investment union as particularly noteworthy, pointing out that European savings are currently being capitalised largely in the United States. The summit conclusions underscored the need to mobilise citizens’ savings and unlock new channels of investment financing to bolster the EU’s competitive edge. Leaders also weighed the prospect of a trade dispute with the United States. (EU)
Prime Minister Robert Fico, left, boards a plane at M. R. Štefánik Airport in Bratislava on Thursday, 20 March 2025. (source: TASR - Martin Žigo)
Ahead of his departure for Brussels
Speaking before the parliamentary committee on European affairs on Thursday, PM Fico warned that future sanctions packages could include provisions that threaten Slovakia’s national interests, such as its nuclear energy sector.
“If we perceive any sanctions as an attempt to derail the peace process, we are prepared to veto them,” Fico said.
The premier added, “No one really wants to fight anymore.” Fico also remarked, “Only EU countries are still raising the issue of weapons.”
Pragmatism over arms: Fico insisted Slovakia would not supply Ukraine with weapons, except on a commercial basis. “We are prepared to cooperate commercially, but we will never donate arms again,” he stated, adding that humanitarian aid would continue. He maintained that Slovakia’s stance is pragmatic and consistent.
No appetite for ‘rearmament’: Fico also rejected the notion of “rearming Europe”, saying discussions should instead focus on strengthening overall security. Peace missions in Ukraine, he argued, should only be considered after a formal agreement is reached. “Slovak troops will not participate,” he declared, adding that any peacekeeping force should exclude countries neighbouring Russia or Ukraine. “Slovakia has no interest in such a mission.”
Ukraine’s membership, EU’s finances: Ukraine’s accession, Fico warned, would significantly disrupt the EU’s financial framework. “It will completely overhaul the Union’s budget,” he said, predicting that major states would seek to delay the enlargement for as long as possible. He also revealed that the European Commission has indefinitely postponed a roadmap to phase out Russian gas. Slovakia, he added, is negotiating gas supplies with Azerbaijan. “I hope peace talks will allow for normal gas transit through Ukraine,” he said.
Balance between green goals and competitiveness: Fico emphasised the need to balance environmental ambitions with the competitiveness of the European economy. He highlighted the automotive sector as a cornerstone of European industry and said Slovakia is joining forces with countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Italy to push for exceptions to EU emissions limits.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
The GreenWay company is a key player in Poland and has recently entered Croatia. (source: Facebook - GreenWay Infrastructure)
Slovakia in the dock—again: A secret UN letter slams Robert Fico’s government for rolling back human rights, warning of democratic backsliding in a scathing 16-page assessment.
Charging ahead: GreenWay, Slovakia’s electric vehicle charging leader, lands a €50 million investment from French fund Mirova, solidifying its place in the fast-growing sector.
Buried history: Archaeologists near Šurice believe they may have found the remains of a long-lost stronghold–potentially rewriting local history.
Sweet but shady: Homemade cakes are booming, but Slovakia’s unregulated baking scene is leaving a bitter aftertaste–costing the state millions in lost revenue.
Going nowhere: Slovakia’s job market is booming, but its workforce is staying put. As industry shrinks and services expand, mobility remains the missing ingredient.
Weekend wanderlust: Looking for a budget-friendly weekend plan? Bratislava offers a chance to explore Austria–without leaving the city.
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INTERVIEW
From modelling to diplomacy
Eva Staroňová at NY Fashion Week 2024. (source: Dominika Hrnčiríková)
Eva Staroňová made her name in modelling, but her true passion lies in cultural diplomacy. Through her +421 Foundation and events like Slovak Fashion Night in New York, she is on a mission to showcase Slovakia’s creative talent on the global stage. In an interview with The Slovak Spectator, she shares how she blends fashion, business, and charity to build bridges between Slovakia and the world–and how you can be part of the mission.
LIVING POOR IN SLOVAKIA
Nitra sees sharpest rise in poverty risk
In 2024, 18.3 percent of Slovakia’s population—over 980,000 people—were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, a rise of 37,000 compared to the previous year, according to the Statistics Office. The worsening trend, ongoing since 2020, was most pronounced in Nitra and Trenčín Regions, while only Bratislava and Žilina saw slight improvements. Families with children, especially single-parent households and those with three or more children, remain the most vulnerable groups, alongside elderly women living alone.
Income poverty was the most widespread form, affecting 14.5 percent of the population—those living on less than €509 per month in 2024 for a single-person household. Severe material deprivation and low work intensity also impacted hundreds of thousands more.
(source: The Statistics Office)
IN OTHER NEWS
Summer holidays in Turkey could get cheaper for people in Slovakia as the Turkish lira tumbles, now trading at over 41 to the euro compared to 38 in early March. Economist Lukáš Kovanda links the currency’s dramatic fall to the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival to President Erdoğan. (SITA)
Slovakia’s new financial transaction tax, effective from 1 April, will also hit foreign companies. According to the tax authority, firms without a Slovak base will be liable if they hold a domestic bank account or operate within the country.
Slovakia is short more than 16,000 professional drivers, with the deficit worsening by 40 percent over the past two years, Česmad Slovakia warned on Thursday. An ageing workforce and lack of interest among young people are driving the crisis.
Talking about pay remains a taboo in Slovakia, with nearly 60 percent of employees avoiding the topic altogether, according to a Platy.sk survey. While Gen Z is most open to salary talk, many admit they stay silent because they earn too little and feel ashamed. Those on lower incomes want more openness, but high earners prefer to keep quiet. (TASR)
The US has extended Slovakia’s sanctions waiver on Russia’s Gazprombank until May, allowing continued payments for gas imports. The exemption, first granted in December, shields Slovakia from penalties tied to Washington’s November sanctions targeting the Kremlin-linked lender. (Reuters)
One of the dwellings destroyed by a nighttime fire in an area inhabited by a marginalised Roma community in the town of Veľký Šariš, Prešov District, on Thursday, 20 March 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
Veľký Šariš, a town in eastern Slovakia, has declared a state of emergency after a devastating overnight fire on March 19 killed five people, including four small children, in a marginalised Roma community. Around eight dwellings were destroyed, affecting roughly 30 residents.
Finland has topped the global happiness ranking for the eighth consecutive year, trailed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. Slovakia, meanwhile, dropped five places to 50th, with the report highlighting a troubling surge in suicides–the third-highest year-on-year increase globally.
Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár on Thursday inaugurated a new honorary consulate in Kolkata, naming Vivek Lohia, executive director of Jupiter Wagons Limited, as honorary consul. Lohia’s firm partners with Slovak rail manufacturer Tatravagónka Poprad, marking a deepening of economic ties between the two countries.
Slovakia is home to over two million hectares of mostly deciduous forests, covering 41.4 percent of the country’s territory, the Agriculture Ministry said on the occasion of International Day of Forests. The annual event, marked on 21 March, has been observed since 2012.
MPs are gearing up for a marathon session starting 25 March, with a packed agenda of 156 items. The legislative backlog stems from postponed bills and the scrapped February sitting.
Prešov Region, led by KDH chairman Milan Majerský, recently cancelled last-minute library events on disinformation after far-right party Republika voiced criticism – though the region insists the move was unrelated. The talks were to feature Dávid Púchovský, a former police anti-hoax expert and current assistant to a Progressive Slovakia MP. Púchovský also happens to be gay. (Denník N)
FRIDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Clear to partly cloudy. Daytime temperatures between 12°C and 17°C. (SHMÚ)
The Jasná ski resort and the summit of Chopok, Liptovský Mikuláš, 20 March 2025. (source: TASR - Michal Svítok)
HAPPY NAME DAY: March 21 is a special day for Blahoslav, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
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