Slovakia’s Robert Fico has blamed the press for creating the atmosphere of hate that inspired a gunman to shoot him in the stomach in May
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused journalists from major media outlets of being “possessed by the devil” and threatened to establish a national media watchdog, along with introducing professional qualification exams to rein in the “hate” they spread through their articles.
Fico made these comments during a press conference on Tuesday, where he became visibly agitated when asked about tensions within his three-party governing coalition.
”From the first day, when the results of the parliamentary elections came in, you went against us like bloodthirsty bastards from morning to night,” Fico said, dismissing any notion of a government crisis.
“Do you read your articles after you’ve written them? I don’t think you do… It’s pure hate. You’re possessed by the devil,” he added. He singled out major Slovak daily papers Dennik N and Sme, as well as the Aktuality.sk portal, which have been critical of his government since he returned to power for a fourth term after his Slovak Social Democracy (SMER-SD) party won the election last September.
The prime minister expressed support for establishing a “national media authority” and “sanctions” for journalists who fail to correct errors in their reporting. He also suggested that journalists should undergo requalification courses, similar to those required for lawyers and public notaries.
”You should perhaps also be part of some professional associations, where you would face disciplinary procedures, similar to lawyers,” Fico said, stressing that his government needs to take action because “such a media mess as we have in Slovakia doesn’t exist in any other EU country.”
These comments sparked criticism from opposition politicians, with some accusing Fico of attacking freedom of speech. “The idea of a national media authority that would control journalists is nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to censor and limit the media, which exists perhaps only in North Korea,” said MP Zora Jaurova from the liberal opposition party Progressive Slovakia. The chair of the For the People party, Veronika Remisova, stated that by referring to journalists as bloodthirsty bastards, the PM and his “cronies” are themselves spreading hatred.
Fico previously argued that the assassination attempt that nearly killed him in May originated from foreign-backed politicians who refuse to accept policies prioritizing Bratislava’s interests over the agendas of major Western powers. He also warned against efforts by adversaries – including media outlets bankrolled by billionaire political activist George Soros – to downplay the implications of the attempted assassination.
”I want to ask the anti-government media, especially those co-owned by George Soros’ financial structure, not to go down this path and to respect not only the gravity of the reasons for the attempted murder but also the consequences of this attempt,” Fico said in June.
