Slovakia Faces Political Turmoil Amid Coalition Crisis

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has issued a stark warning of potential early elections due to an escalating coalition crisis. The tension arose when coalition partners SNS and Hlas-SD rejected Fico's proposal for a cabinet reshuffle. Fico turned to President Pellegrini, attributing the Hlas candidate list to him, adding another layer to the political turmoil.

The crisis was sparked by the defection of three SNS and four Hlas-SD deputies, led by Huliak and Migal. These breakaway deputies criticized the government's close ties with Moscow and announced plans to visit Kyiv. As a result, the governing coalition now holds a fragile majority with just 76 seats in the 150-member parliament.

The political discord has wider ramifications, with Slovak MPs reporting travel issues due to Polish restrictions as they attempted to visit Moscow. Meanwhile, pro-European protests have emerged in response to a controversial Moscow trip, drawing criticism over its transparency and impact on Slovakia's international reputation.

This internal strife underscores the delicate balance within Slovakia's government, with Fico stressing the need to resolve these conflicts promptly to avoid destabilizing early elections.