Who is Robert Fico? 'Anti-American', 'pro-Russian' Slovakia PM badly injured in 'assassination attempt'

Robert Fico, the Slovakia's Prime Minister, was reportedly recuperating from life-threatening injuries after he was shot multiple times in an "assassination attempt", as claimed by nation's government officials and condemned by European leaders.

Anti-American Stance

Slovakia's government is led by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose leftist Smer party won a general election in September and took power for the fourth time last October and has turned the country's foreign policy towards more pro-Russian views and anti-American sentiment, as per AP and Reuters reports.


59-year-old Fico during a three-decade career has skillfully weaved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic anti-Brussels and anti-American positions, while showing a willingness to change course depending on public opinion or changed political realities, as per a Reuters report.

Russia-Ukraine War

Fico embraced more extreme positions over the past four years that include strident criticisms of western allies, pledges to stop military support for Kyiv, opposition to sanctions on Russia and threats to veto any future NATO membership invite for Ukraine.

His coalition halted Slovak official shipments of weapons for Ukraine and he has spoken about what he called western influence in the war which only led to Slavic nations killing each other.

His campaign call of "Not a single round" for Ukraine appealed to voters in the nation of 5.5 million where only a minority in the NATO member country believe Russia is at fault for the Ukraine war.

Robert Fico's Leadership

Fico has remained steady throughout his career, however, on promises to protect living standards of those left behind in a country where conditions for many are only slowly catching up to western Europe and where many hold relatively fond memories of a communist-era past.

He has also initiated reforms of criminal law and the media, which have raised concerns over weakening the rule of law.

As well as his current stint as premier, Fico also headed the government in 2006-10 and 2012-18.

Communist Party Background

Born to a working-class family, Fico graduated with a law degree in 1986 and joined the then-ruling Communist party.

After the 1989 fall of Communist rule, he worked as a government lawyer, won a seat in parliament under the renamed Communist party, and represented Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights.

Fico has run SMER-Social Democracy party since 1999 after establishing it to oppose the reformist centre-right cabinet. He parlayed dissatisfaction with liberal economic reforms into his first election victory in 2006. But he also kept the nation on course to adopt the euro in 2009 despite forming a government with nationalists.

His second cabinet won after another centre-right coalition broke up two years later, and a tough stance against migrants helped him win re-election in 2016. After that win, he declared he wanted Slovakia as part of the EU's core with France and Germany.

Corruption Charges Against Robert Fico

Fico's political fortunes faded in 2018 when journalist Jan Kuciak, who was investigating high-level graft, and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova were killed by a contract killer.

This fueled mass protests against graft and Fico was forced to resign. SMER lost power in a 2020 election to parties pledging to weed out corruption, and his party split.

Polling under 10%, Fico once sought to address voter fears during the coronavirus pandemic when he slammed government health measures.

Fico also swatted away accusations of graft that have dogged his party during his political career. He was charged with criminal conspiracy in 2022 to use police and tax information on political foes -- charges he denied and which were later dropped.

FAQs:

Q1. What is the name of Slovakia PM?
A1. The name of Slovakia PM is Robert Fico.

Q2. What is the age of Slovakia PM?
A2. Slovakia PM Robert Fico is 59-year-old.