May 15th marks the first anniversary of the attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. As the anniversary of the assassination attempt approaches, Fico has raised concerns about what he sees as an increasingly hostile and aggressive political rhetoric, with a rise in threats against officials, and warned of the potential of new attacks. To address this and combat the trend, Fico said he is convening the country’s Security Council.
In an open letter posted on Facebook, Fico urged political leaders and Slovak TV channels to support his suggestion to end the traditional political debates held on Sundays, criticizing them as “a marathon of aggression.” He argued that the programs are contributing to a toxic atmosphere, replacing constructive dialogue with insults and threats. Fico also expressed concern over the normalization of aggressive rhetoric, but did not mention specific examples.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining Sundays as a day of rest, saying that in no other country is the public “exposed to a four-hour television marathon” consisting of “political discussions full of attacks and aggressive exchange of views” on “the day of peace.”
The Slovak PM said that if his proposal is accepted, neither he nor his party Směr would participate in Sunday talk shows.
The country now has a choice to make, Fico said—either tolerating the status quo and dealing with the consequence of another physical assault on a public figure, or taking proactive steps to de-escalate the tension.
