The European Parliament has called on the Commission to consider freezing EU funds for Slovakia, in a move that reflects growing political pressure from Brussels against governments that diverge from the bloc’s liberal-progressive agenda.
In a vote on Wednesday, April 29th, MEPs backed a resolution by 418 votes to 207 urging the Commission to trigger the EU’s conditionality mechanism, which could ultimately lead to the suspension of funding.
The measure was adopted with support from a broad alliance of mainstream political groups.
However, no Slovak MEP voted in favour. Several opposed the resolution outright, while others abstained or declined to participate, warning that cutting off EU funding could undermine economic stability and harm citizens, regardless of political disagreements with the government.
Prime Minister Robert Fico has been at odds with Brussels since returning to office in 2023, pursuing policies that challenge EU orthodoxy on issues ranging from migration and social policy to the bloc’s approach to the war in Ukraine.
His government has defended recent reforms—including the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and changes to the criminal code—as necessary corrections to what it describes as politically biased institutions established by previous administrations.
The European Parliament’s latest move seems to be less about safeguarding the rule of law and more about disciplining a democratically elected government for pursuing a sovereigntist agenda.
Similar mechanisms have previously been deployed against Hungary and Poland, raising questions about whether financial leverage is being used to enforce political conformity within the bloc.
MEPs behind the resolution cited concerns over anti-corruption safeguards, institutional reforms, and alleged risks to EU funds. German Green lawmaker Daniel Freund argued that financial pressure could help ensure compliance, saying: “We must make sure Fico doesn’t become a new Orbán.”
The European Commission is not obliged to act on the Parliament’s recommendation, and any eventual decision would require approval by a qualified majority of member states.
