LED between Prague and Bratislava – the world

The Czech-Slovak relations are, after the peaceful break of Czechoslovakia in 1992. year, extremely close and marked with confidence.

Governments are supported and cooperated in the field of defense, both countries are agreed in both languages, and tens of thousands of young Slovaks are studying at Czech universities, which are valid for better than Slovak.

The first foreign journey of the Czech and Slovak heads of states always lead to the neighboring country, and at least once a year, joint governments were held together. And in public opinion polls, both countries were regularly among the most popular one another.

The end of « exceptional » relationships?

However, since Prime Minister Robert Fico took over the government in Slovakia in October 2023, the relationships were significantly cooled.

The nationalist government, inspired by Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban and oriented towards Russia, entered a conflict with the Prouchinian Czech government Petra Fjale. So much that the threshold in March 2024. canceled the traditional joint meeting of the two governments.

« Exceptional relationships » are interrupted for an indefinite period of time, it was announced in the Czech capital.

« We do not consider that it is appropriate to lead conversations with the Government of the Slovak Republic in the coming weeks or months, » Prime Minister Fjala told reporters. « It cannot be hidden that there are significant disagreements in important foreign policy issues. »

Fico, who ordered the interruption of military aid Ukraine and began renovating relations with Moscow, then accused Fjalin’s warning government.

« We notice that the Czech government decided to jeopardize our relationships just because it was interested in supporting the war in Ukraine, while Slovak government wants to talk about peace, » Fico told FICO on social networks.

Although cooperation on practical projects continued at a lower level, there is no trace since its intimidation and understanding of previous years. Especially since the approach of Slovakia is continued. The recent participation of Fica on Moscow celebrations 9. Maja – as the only prime minister from the European Union.

All deeper gap and among the popes

The political development of events in Slovakia, where power is treated by public media and cultural institutions and makes it difficult to combat political corruption, it also causes negative reactions in the neighboring country.

Referral of relationships is now already feeling among citizens. According to the annual survey of the Czech Institute for Public Opinion Stem, published a few days ago, Slovakia fell from the traditional first in the tenth place on the scale of popularity among the Czechs.

« Attitude of the Czech Republic to other countries and foreign politicians in 2025. year remains a stable, but current research records a clear decline in the popularity of Slovakia and the United States, » standing on the organization’s website.

« A significant decline in positive assessments, after the last two years, is most likely related to the current political situation in the country, where the Czech Republic applied, » Stem’s Analyst Silvija Peti explained.

The cooling further accelerated when a year ago, a highly popular president Peter Pelegrini replaced the extremely popular president of Zuzan Čaputovo.

« Pelegrini positively experiences 38 percent of Czech and Czech, which was significantly less than in his predecessor, which in the last year she had support 68 percent of the Czech and Czech, » Fifth said.

Every fifth Slovenian with Russia

Great disagreements between the two countries exist and when it comes to Ukraine. According to the CVVM Institute poll from April, 58 percent of Czech supports Military Help Ukraine. In Slovakia, according to IPSOS survey from the beginning of the year, that figure is only 16 percent.

One third of the Voter of Fic’s ruling party direction and 20 percent of all Slovaks even wishes a victory of Russia over Ukraine. Only seven percent of the population wants it in the Czech Republic.

The Slovak weekly saddled pointed out that the Czech President Petr Pavel was at the weekend of 8. May in the Powder Castle received the Green, while Fico later tried to Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The photographs from the castle and from the Kremlin showed the character of two opposing the world, commented on the editor-in-chief Štefan Hrib.

Slovak Opposition Rado Viđena in Prague

Government politicians in Bratislava are trying to reduce the significance of distance between Prague and Bratislava.

« The basic message should be that, despite the different attitudes at the government level, and even heads of state, our common basis still exists, » said DW spokesman for Slovak Parliament and the Vice President of the Coalician Party of Hlas, Rišord Raši.

He notes that before the Czech elections in October, the common meeting of the government is inconceivable, but: « I believe we will return for the negotiating table after the election. »

Good relations with the threshold Nurtured Slovak Opposition, led by a progressive Slovakia. Their politicians are primed in the Czech capital to visit at the highest level, as was the case with the President of the Party Mihal Šimečki and the former foreign minister Ivan Korčok.

He lost weight at the presidential election last year, and then he joined progressive Slovakia. When visiting Prague, DW said, « I want to say, in Slovakia there is a political alternative in the form of opposition and progressive Slovakia. It will return to the center of Europe back into its center and renew the beautiful Czech and Slovenian relations. »

Since the beginning of the year, progressive Slovakia leads to all surveys and would currently, together with other opposition parties, had most of the parliament.

In the Czech Republic, on the other hand, the movement of Ana Prague Oligarha Andreja Babiša leads to the eve of elections in October. He does not hide his affection for Ficu and Orban. The political alienation between the two countries could therefore continue – but in the opposite circumstances.