Slovakia

Robert Fico’s recent rhetoric has fueled speculation that Bratislava could soon see an announcement of early elections. The prospect appears to have concentrated minds and bank accounts: the opposition Progressive Slovakia has reportedly borrowed over €800,000, apparently to fund a campaign that has not yet been officially declared. Not everyone is making demands; Tomáš Taraba has told the coalition his party wants no ministries, promising only to support bills they find useful.

The country’s long-running corruption scandals continue to move at their own particular pace. Investigators have proposed an indictment in the Slovak Land Fund case, while a court definitively acquitted the suspects in the murder of a mafia boss nearly thirty years after the crime. In Slovakia, justice is often a dish served very cold or not at all.

Public trust remains a scarce commodity. A new study finds that only 19 percent of the population believes other political parties do not pose a threat to the country. For those more concerned with the cost of living than the cost of politics, the value of state food vouchers will rise in December, though early analysis suggests the increase will not cover the actual price of a meal.