Why discontent is spilling over onto Slovak streets amid Fico government reforms

The Slovak opposition is calling on Brussels to continue to hold the government in Bratislava to account.

Transcript

00:00Slovakia's opposition says that dismay with the government of Robert Fico has reached

00:06a boiling point and that the European Union needs to remain vigilant of the government's

00:12reforms.

00:13In recent days, thousands of Slovaks have taken to the streets to denounce government

00:18decisions they say undermine freedoms and the rule of law.

00:22They include the dismissal of the heads of the National Theatre and Gallery by hard-right

00:27Culture Minister Martina Simkovičová and the dismantling of the National Crime Agency,

00:33moves opponents say are symptoms of a broader crackdown.

00:37We've heard also from the mouth of the Prime Minister is that he is calling liberalism,

00:43progressivism a cancer, quote unquote.

00:46So clearly there is a frontal attack on freedom, freedom of expression, arts, culture and especially

00:54rule of law which is very much a concern for the European Commission.

00:59Since returning to power last October, Prime Minister Fico has sparked outcry for overhauling

01:05the country's criminal code and dissolving the special prosecutor's office, prompting

01:10mass protests over the winter.

01:13He is also expected to disband the National Crime Agency, which was handling high-profile

01:18corruption cases in which he himself was involved.

01:22Last week Fico's justice minister also brokered the release from prison of a former special

01:27prosecutor convicted on charges of corruption and bribery.

01:31Brussels has taken no action yet.

01:34The European Commission so far has been very careful not to draw a line of attack on the

01:42government and that has been made much more difficult for the Commission because of the

01:48recent assassination attempt on Mr. Fico himself.

01:52So they had to draw a very careful line between criticising, legitimately criticising the

01:57actions of the government that stand at odds with some of the fundamental principles of

02:03the EU, especially the rule of law, but on the other hand not giving in to the hatred

02:08against Mr. Fico himself.

02:11The Commission reprimanded Slovakia for backsliding on the rule of law and media freedoms in July.

02:17In the past it has withheld EU funds from member countries such as Hungary for similar violations.