On 21 January 2025, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico blocked a no-confidence vote by classifying a parliamentary session, citing a Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) report. The move, unprecedented in Slovakia’s history, expelled journalists and cut public access, prompting accusations of authoritarianism. Fico claimed the opposition was orchestrating a “Maidan” to topple his government, invoking conspiracy theories of foreign coordination, which opposition leaders dismissed as baseless fearmongering to distract from his governance failures.
The classified SIS report, now partially leaked, centred on a ChatGPT-generated email detailing non-violent protest plans. Opposition MPs ridiculed its content, calling it insufficient grounds for secrecy. Meanwhile, concerns mount over the SIS’s politicisation under Pavol Gašpar, son of Kremlin-aligned SMER-SD politician Tibor Gašpar, whose ties to Moscow and recent trips there underscore fears of the intelligence service serving pro-Russian interests. Activists and opposition figures accuse Fico of weaponising state institutions to suppress dissent while mobilising protests to defend Slovakia’s democratic values and Western commitments.
Secrecy, Suppression, and Scandal: Slovakia’s First Classified Parliamentary Debate
Prime Minister Robert Fico has provoked outrage in Slovakia by blocking a parliamentary session intended to debate and vote on his dismissal through a no-confidence vote. The extraordinary session, convened at the opposition’s request on 21 January 2025, was classified at Fico’s insistence, citing the need to present sensitive intelligence. Critics, including opposition leaders, have accused the government of suppressing accountability and shielding itself from scrutiny. The opposition called for the session to address what they see as Fico’s repeated governance failures, including alleged corruption, abuse of power, and controversial foreign policy positions. They have also pointed to his deepening alignment with Russian foreign policy stances, which they argue undermines Slovakia’s commitments to European Union and NATO values, a concern raised in the parliamentary debate and echoed by opposition figures.
The session’s classification marked the first time in Slovakia’s history that a parliamentary debate on a no-confidence motion was conducted behind closed doors. Journalists were expelled from the chamber, public access was cut off, and even internal communications within the parliament were restricted. Opposition leaders described the move as an attempt to silence dissent and shield the government from legitimate scrutiny. Michal Šimečka, leader of Progresívne Slovensko and widely regarded as the shadow prime minister due to his party’s first-place ranking in public opinion polls, described the government’s actions as “a direct assault on parliamentary democracy.” Opposition parties cited multiple reasons for their motion to dismiss Fico, including his failure to address economic instability, collapsing healthcare, widespread corruption, rising energy costs, an education system in decline, ineffective crisis communication during bomb threats targeting schools, and a broader erosion of public trust in state institutions.
From Moscow to Bratislava: How Ties to Russia Undermine Slovak Intelligence
Fico justified the unprecedented secrecy by citing a report from the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) that allegedly revealed a coordinated effort to destabilise the country. However, the SIS’s credibility has been called into question in recent years due to its politicisation under the leadership of Pavol Gašpar, widely perceived as being closely aligned with Fico’s SMER-SD party. The agency has faced allegations of prioritising political loyalty over national security, exemplified by its reluctance to provide clear answers about potential Russian involvement in Slovakia’s recurring bomb threats targeting schools. This lack of transparency has compounded doubts about the agency’s independence and integrity.
The SIS director, Pavol Gašpar, is the son of Tibor Gašpar, a senior SMER figure and former police chief whose tenure was marked by corruption scandals and proven ties to pro-Russian actors. Tibor Gašpar has held meetings with Russian Ambassador Igor Bratchikov and recently led a parliamentary delegation to Moscow. These documented interactions underscore a direct alignment with Russian interests. Under Pavol Gašpar’s leadership, the SIS has failed to address Russian involvement in key security incidents explicitly, including the bomb threats. This record has intensified concerns that the SIS is being used as a tool to suppress dissent and intimidate government opponents.
Slovakia’s ‘Secret’ Protest Plan: Civil Society Exposes the ChatGPT Email
While the SIS report remains officially classified, key details have been leaked or commented on by opposition MPs. The report centres on a single email generated by ChatGPT, which outlined a seven-week plan for peaceful protests against the government. The email, intended for civil society organisers, detailed non-violent activities such as marches, road blockades, and public demonstrations aimed at increasing public pressure on government officials. Opposition MPs ridiculed the report, emphasising that its content could hardly justify the classification of a parliamentary session.
Fico himself effectively disclosed the report’s core allegations during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and in a Facebook post. He claimed the opposition was orchestrating a “Maidan” to overthrow the government, referencing the protests in Ukraine that led to the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Opposition leaders rejected these claims as baseless, accusing Fico of manufacturing a crisis to avoid debate over his government’s failures.
Civil society organisers whose actions were cited in the report strongly refuted the allegations. In a public statement, they revealed that the email was generated using ChatGPT, based on a prompt to plan non-violent protests. In a Facebook post, they explained:
Today, they made us enemies of the state over an email we sent as protest organisers in early January. The email reached around 120 people, so it was by no means secret. It was prepared by ChatGPT, which drew on sources about non-violent protest movements. The prompt we used was: ‘Plan protests over seven weeks to increase public pressure on responsible leaders while maintaining a non-violent character.’ As we heard that it’s supposedly classified, we’re declassifying it ourselves. We have nothing to hide. Protests are a legitimate tool of dissent in a democratic country. We organise peaceful, non-violent gatherings as an expression of citizens’ basic democratic right to oppose government actions. Our motivation is not chaos but the defence of Slovakia’s core values—democracy, justice, and freedom.
The organisers also published the letter in full. The Slovak Media Monitor has prepared an English translation of the document classified by the Slovak Intelligence Service.
Slovak Intelligence Service Led by Fico’s Kremlin-Aligned Associate
Fico’s accusations of a “Majdan” have been widely criticised as fearmongering. He alleged that opposition parties were planning to occupy government buildings and coordinate with foreign actors to destabilise Slovakia. František Mikloško, a prominent opposition figure and veteran of Slovakia’s democratic movement, warned that Fico’s rhetoric risks provoking violence or being used as a pretext for government crackdowns on peaceful dissent.
These allegations have also drawn attention to the central figures in Fico’s security apparatus, particularly Tibor Gašpar, Vice-Chairman of the Slovak National Council and Chairman of its Defence and Security Committee. Gašpar wields significant influence over Slovakia’s security institutions and is the father of Pavol Gašpar, the current Director of the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), whose appointment by Fico’s government has raised serious concerns about the agency’s independence. Gašpar’s tenure as Police Chief (2012–2018) was marred by allegations of corruption, including leaking sensitive information to organised crime networks. Forced to resign amid public outrage after the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak, Gašpar later transitioned to politics under SMER-SD, where he has continued to shape Slovakia’s security policies.
Gašpar’s links to Moscow further heighten concerns about his influence. He has regularly engaged with Russian officials, including hosting a secret meeting with the Russian ambassador to discuss cybersecurity shortly after a wave of bomb threats targeting Slovak schools. In January 2025, he travelled to Moscow for energy talks—a trip that critics say reflects a broader pattern of Slovakia’s alignment with Moscow. These ties, combined with his central role in national security and his familial connection to the SIS leadership, amplify fears about the erosion of Slovakia’s democratic principles and its commitments to EU and NATO alliances.
Opposition and Activists Reject Authoritarianism, Condemn Classified Session as Diversion
The opposition has condemned the government’s use of the SIS report to justify the classified session, accusing Fico of using the intelligence agency to distract from pressing governance issues. Opposition MPs plan to convene another parliamentary session to debate the government’s dismissal, demanding transparency and accountability. Civil society groups have also stepped up their activities, organising protests to highlight what they see as an erosion of democratic values under Fico’s leadership.
Activist groups such as “Nie v našom meste” (Not in Our Town) and “Mier Ukrajine” (Peace for Ukraine) have reiterated their commitment to non-violent protest, emphasising that their actions are aimed at protecting Slovakia’s democratic foundations. “Thousands of people who braved the cold January weather to gather in squares across Slovakia do not want to be part of Russian poverty and authoritarianism. They want to belong to Europe,” one group stated, underlining the public’s desire to align with Western democratic values rather than authoritarian governance.
