Investigation reveals government funding for pro-Russian websites
Get European news in your inbox daily
A short daily digest of the whole continent — or just the countries you care about.
Check your email. We've sent a confirmation link — click it to complete your subscription.
A new investigation has tracked 500,000 euros in state funds distributed through 23 contracts to websites known for pro-government and pro-Russian leanings. In political finance, the distance between public communication and private influence is often measured in six-figure sums, raising fresh questions about the destination of public money.
In Prešov, the Demokraty party draped a statue of Soviet Marshal Konev in a blood-stained sheet, arguing the monument belongs in the trash. Meanwhile, a court in central Slovakia has handed down one of its harshest sentences in recent history to a priest who sexually abused a 12-year-old girl at a summer camp.
The mayoral race in Bratislava is proceeding without its full cast, as candidate Erik Ráž declined to participate in debates against the two-term incumbent Matúš Vallo. In Košice, polling suggests the races for both the city and the region remain too close to call, indicating tight contests for the leading positions.