Slovakia Dismantles the Rule of Law: Over 1,300 Corrupt Criminals Released

Countless offenders originally convicted of corruption in Slovakia have been released in recent months. In August of last year, the Fico government amended criminal law and statutes of limitations. To date, 1,324 defendants and convicts have benefited from these changes, according to an analysis by the NGO “Stop Corruption.”

Under Prime Minister Fico, the Slovak government has also abolished anti-corruption authorities and intends to weaken whistleblower protections. This is why, today, the European Parliament once again called on the Commission to launch a procedure to protect EU funds against Slovakia. The resolution was adopted by a large majority.

The message is clear: Those who cannot protect EU funds from misuse should not receive any more. Ultimately, this procedure could lead to EU funds for Slovakia being frozen until the rule of law is fully restored.

Daniel Freund, Green Party negotiator and initiator of the resolution:

“Fico would like to become the next Orbán. We must not let that happen. The Commission once made the mistake of financing the EU’s enemies. The result was massive corruption and a paralyzed Europe. Hopefully, we have learned this lesson. The rule of law in Slovakia must be restored and corruption successfully combated. Only then will the tax money of European citizens be safe in Slovakia again.”