Zuzana Caputova, the president of Slovakia, referred to the radical right opposition leader Robert Fico’s claims that she is an American agent and that the technocratic cabinet she is about to nominate is “Soros’s government” [referring to the American philanthropist] as “lies” that she will take him to court over this.
Robert Fico is the former prime minister of Slovakia, and the head of the populist left Smer-SD party. The politician is well known for his anti-US and pro-Russia rhetoric.
Zuzana Caputova received death threats that utilized the same terms that Fico used
After receiving new death threats that utilize the same language that Fico used at his press conference on May 9, Caputova said on her Facebook profile that she would “use all available legal means” to protect herself and her family.
The Slovak president stated she does not want to bring her rhetoric “low to his level” by referring to Fico with “any adjectives” and that she will resort to legal steps “as a mother to protect her children” and as “a citizen to protect an institution” she “temporarily represents”.
In addition, Caputova noted that Slovak courts had already determined that Fico’s charges against her were unfounded and outside the scope of normal political conflict.
“Deputy Fico knows about this. And he is aware that making someone a target through hateful lies has resulted in murders in Slovakia,” Caputova said, alluding to the tragic shooting in Bratislava last autumn when a radicalized teen went out to target Jews and LGBT people. He killed three people.
The danger of hate speech online
Before becoming president, Caputova served as deputy chair of the liberal Progressives party. She has been a vocal opponent of online hatred.
The hate speech on the web in the country frequently combines conspiracy theories about the EU and the West spread by websites and online channels that spread misinformation and pro-Kremlin propaganda.
Fico’s Smer-SD is in the lead of the polls ahead of the September early elections, capitalizing on the political upheaval and cost of living crisis. Fico has shifted to overtly pro-Russian stances since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and promised to stop Slovakia from providing military support to Ukraine if he is elected.
Fico also cites Soros as a bogeyman and utilizes harsh rhetoric on cultural issues involving gender and immigration that is identical to the far-right.
Fico resigned after the murder of an investigative journalist
Following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018, Fico was forced to resign amid widespread protests. As part of his plan to retake power, Fico has turned radical right.
According to Fico’s response on his own Facebook page, “when we claim something, we don’t research it because there is publicly known evidence of it,” and the media in the nation “does not want to react to the facts that the president’s government is incredibly close to Soros’ non-governmental world.”
Snap elections were announced in Slovakia after Eduard Heger resigned from his position as caretaker premier following the collapse of the centre-right coalition in December.
A technocratic government headed by central banker Ludovit Odor, a Caputova nominee, will lead Slovakia toward elections.
Fico’s pro-Russian stance
The current Slovakian government sent weapons to Ukraine in support of Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion. Slovakia also decided to transfer its fleet of MiG-29 fighter planes that are currently on the ground.
Robert Fico’s pro-Russian stance came under scrutiny as early as June 2015, days before the then-Prime minister’s trip to Moscow, when Russian state television aired a propaganda program on various topics, including the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.
In addition, Robert Fico, as Prime Minister of Slovakia, has increasingly dragged Slovakia into energy dependence on Russia.
Read also: Russians may have deliberately damaged Slovak fighter jets, defence minister says
Slovak president will suit opposition leader after she got threats
On May 10, Zuzana Caputova, the president of Slovakia, referred to Robert Fico’s claims that she is an American agent and that the technocratic cabinet she is about to nominate is “Soros’s government” [referring to the American philanthropist] as “lies” that she will take him to court over this.
Robert Fico is the former prime minister of Slovakia, and the head of the populist left Smer-SD party. The politician is well known for his anti-US and pro-Russia rhetoric.
Zuzana Caputova received death threats that utilized the same terms that Fico used
After receiving new death threats that utilize the same language that Fico used at his press conference on May 9, Caputova said on her Facebook profile that she would “use all available legal means” to protect herself and her family.
The Slovak president stated she does not want to bring her rhetoric “low to his level” by referring to Fico with “any adjectives” and that she will resort to legal steps “as a mother to protect her children” and as “a citizen to protect an institution” she “temporarily represents”.
In addition, Caputova noted that Slovak courts had already determined that Fico’s charges against her were unfounded and outside the scope of normal political conflict.
“Deputy Fico knows about this. And he is aware that making someone a target through hateful lies has resulted in murders in Slovakia,” Caputova said, alluding to the tragic shooting in Bratislava last autumn when a radicalized teen went out to target Jews and LGBT people. He killed three people.
The danger of hate speech online
Before becoming president, Caputova served as deputy chair of the liberal Progressives party. She has been a vocal opponent of online hatred.
The hate speech on the web in the country frequently combines conspiracy theories about the EU and the West spread by websites and online channels that spread misinformation and pro-Kremlin propaganda.
Fico’s Smer-SD is in the lead of the polls ahead of the September early elections, capitalizing on the political upheaval and cost of living crisis. Fico has shifted to overtly pro-Russian stances since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and promised to stop Slovakia from providing military support to Ukraine if he is elected.
Fico also cites Soros as a bogeyman and utilizes harsh rhetoric on cultural issues involving gender and immigration that is identical to the far-right.
Fico resigned after the murder of an investigative journalist
Following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018, Fico was forced to resign amid widespread protests. As part of his plan to retake power, Fico has turned radical right.
According to Fico’s response on his own Facebook page, “when we claim something, we don’t research it because there is publicly known evidence of it,” and the media in the nation “does not want to react to the facts that the president’s government is incredibly close to Soros’ non-governmental world.”
Snap elections were announced in Slovakia after Eduard Heger resigned from his position as caretaker premier following the collapse of the centre-right coalition in December.
A technocratic government headed by central banker Ludovit Odor, a Caputova nominee, will lead Slovakia toward elections.
Slovakia’s support for Ukraine
The current Slovakian government sent weapons to Ukraine in support of Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion. Slovakia also decided to transfer its fleet of MiG-29 fighter planes that are currently on the ground.
In late April, Zuzana Caputova visited Kyin and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She expressed Slovakia’s continuous support for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Fico’s pro-Russian stance
Robert Fico’s pro-Russian stance came under scrutiny as early as June 2015, days before the then-Prime minister’s trip to Moscow, when Russian state television aired a propaganda program on various topics, including the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.
In addition, Robert Fico, as Prime Minister of Slovakia, has increasingly dragged Slovakia into energy dependence on Russia.
Read also: Russians may have deliberately damaged Slovak fighter jets, defence minister says
