EU pressure grows over Slovakia rule-of-law concerns and possible fund freeze

MEPs are urging the European Commission to consider freezing EU funds for Slovakia over concerns about possible misuse of money and weakening anti-corruption safeguards under Robert Fico's government.

The call follows criticism of what lawmakers and campaigners describe as the dismantling of Slovak anti-corruption agencies, along with legal changes that they say have allowed some people convicted of corruption to walk free.

The European Parliament urged the Commission last week to consider using the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism.

The concern is that EU money may no longer be adequately protected if institutions meant to guard against fraud and corruption are weakened.

One MEP involved in the debate said the situation had already crossed a line and that funds should be frozen if they are not safe.

The issue matters because the conditionality mechanism is one of the EU's main tools for linking access to funds with respect for rule-of-law standards.

Any move to activate it would deepen tensions between Brussels and Bratislava and could have direct financial consequences for Slovakia.

According to the supporting material, criticism has focused on several recent changes under Fico's return to power.

These include the dismantling of the special prosecutor for anti-corruption, the National Crime Agency, changes to the penal code and attacks on the whistleblower protection office.

The same material says these developments have left EU funds "much worse protected" than they were two or three years ago.

It also argues that the anti-corruption infrastructure should be strengthened rather than weakened.

The debate has drawn comparisons with Hungary, where similar rule-of-law disputes have led to prolonged EU pressure over public money and institutional independence.

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