Slovakia

In the run up to the September parliamentary elections in Slovakia the editors of the EURACTIV Slovakia portal have prepared a series of analyses on how individual parties imagine their performance in a potential government. The analyses cover eight topics: the future of the EU, regional policy and EU funds, energy, foreign policy, defence and security, agriculture, human rights and industrial transformation. The foreign policy analysis that is the subject of this article was made possible thanks to the support of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague.

The first terrorist attack in modern Slovak history was committed on the evening of 12 October 2022 when a young neo-Nazi shot and killed two people, non-binary Juraj Vankulič and bisexual Matúš Horváth. Rather than serving as a catalyst for eliminating LGBT+ inequality, that attack marked yet another step toward worsening the situation in Slovakia for LGBT+ people.

In Slovakia, the bill on climate protection is currently being discussed in the parliament. The bill is set to include umbrella clauses to help the country stay true to international commitments made, ensure a comprehensive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time break down barriers that slow down practical climate protection actions.

Russia's open military aggression against Ukraine has provoked strong reactions around the world. The V4 countries, whose outwardly apparent unity seemed to be crumbling, also took a stance. How serious is the schism between Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic on the one side and Hungary on the other? Is the breakdown of V4 inevitable or is there still a room for cooperation? Slovak political scientist Grigorij Mesežnikov reflects on the current state the Visegrad Group finds itself in.

The consequences of the war in Ukraine are palpable even in Bratislava, over a thousand kilometres from the border. Ukrainian is heard more often on the streets, cars with Ukrainian number plates are appearing on the roads, the windows of shops and apartments are festooned with Ukrainian flags, and the city is alive with marches and initiatives in support of Ukraine. The only thing that has remained unaffected is the flow of oil and gas from Russia to Slovakia, and our payments for it.

More reports about rapes by the Russian army against the Ukrainian girls and women who are arriving in Slovakia have been exposed. In the meantime, the Slovak parliament is discussing proposals on banning abortion for women without permanent residency. This cynical targeting of Ukrainian girls and women is disturbing, says Denisa Nešťáková.

In Slovakia, the original discourse of the Catholic Church’s struggle for the preservation of the “traditional family” has spilled over into public politics in the form of what have come to be known as culture wars. New figures have appeared on the scene of anti-gender campaigns. The mobilization of Christian movements, however, is lately being disrupted by a fission in the seemingly unified agenda.

The first in a series of essays dedicated to the phenomenon of what is known as the culture wars of Central Europe explains the concept in its original American context, as well as its shift to Europe. This kind of conflict, unlike a historical dispute or ideological debate, is primarily about power.

On April 1, 2021, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová appointed a new government headed by Eduard Heger. The new government was formed by the same four entities of the ruling coalition (two movements – OĽANO and We Are Family – and two parties – SaS and For People) that a year ago, after the last parliamentary elections, formed a government with Prime Minister Igor Matovič, OĽaNO’s leader. Compared to the previous arrangement, there have been just minimal personnel changes – a new Health Minister has taken office and a new Minister of Labor and Social Affairs will be appointed soon.

Special anniversaries are always a good occasion on which to ask the principle questions featured in the title of Gauguin´s famous painting: “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” Let´s do that for the Visegrad Four group now that it is celebrating its 30th anniversary.