Slovakia may follow Hungary as a problematic component of the European Union, warns the country's President Zuzana Chaputova. In a conversation with POLITICO, she stressed that she was concerned about the spread of disinformation in her country and that the upcoming parliamentary elections could weaken Slovakia's support for Ukraine..

“If populist parties lead the government this autumn, then perhaps our foreign policy will become similar to the foreign policy of Viktor Orban,” Chaputova said..

Ahead of the country's September elections, Smer, a populist party led by controversial former prime minister Robert Fico who called for an end to military support for Ukraine, leads the polls..

Slovakia is a true ally of Ukraine. But the new government may change the line, and this is of particular concern as Russian influence spreads across Europe..

And Russian narratives find fertile ground in Slovakia: according to a recent GLOBSEC poll, only 40% of Slovaks believe that Russia is primarily responsible for the war in Ukraine - compared to, for example, 85% in Poland, Slovakia's northern neighbor.

“Slovakia is going through a very difficult period. I see in our society not only polarization, but also fragmentation,” Chaputova said..

While the former Eastern Bloc country looks very pro-Western now, disinformation and Russia-friendly narratives seem to be thriving beneath the surface..

Caputova says her country is facing an active Russian disinformation campaign — and that Slovakia, which is a young democracy, is vulnerable to this.

The President is direct about the role she believes certain politicians play in spreading disinformation..

“Some political leaders, including deputies, disseminate such information directly in parliament through the media,” she stressed..

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At the same time, Fico's party dismisses critics' concerns.

In an emailed statement on behalf of the party, MEP Katarina Roth Nevedialova, Smer's international secretary, said that accusing opponents of spreading disinformation is a "

“We strongly reject any of these allegations,” she said..

However, the impact seems to be quite tangible, with about 50% of Slovaks believing that the United States poses a threat to their country's security..

Only 58% of Slovaks would vote to stay in NATO if the referendum were held next Sunday, while 66% agree with the statement that "

The poll is in line with NATO's own study, which found that only 51% of Slovaks would vote to remain in NATO, compared to 70% across the alliance as a whole..

NATO analysis also showed that half of the Slovak population would be against continuing assistance to Ukraine.

When asked why Russian narratives resonate with part of Slovak society, Chaputova said that it is a mixture of “positive attitude towards common Slavic roots”, a certain view of history, the influence of disinformation and “possibly errors in communication of democratic political leaders”.

And many Slovaks after a series of crises such as the coronavirus pandemic, rising energy prices, inflation and war in the neighborhood are simply disappointed.

According to some politicians, elections in Slovakia may change the role of Bratislava in the EU and NATO. According to POLITICO polls, the Smer party gains about 17%.

This puts Smer - a member of the Pan-European Party of European Socialists - ahead of all other contenders in Slovakia's fractured political landscape..

Smer leader Fico, a three-time prime minister, narrowly escaped imprisonment after the Slovak parliament last year rejected a submission to strip him of his immunity in an investigation into organized crime allegations..

Eduard Heger, who until mid-May served as interim Prime Minister of Slovakia, called Fico " Fico's party denies it.

Speaking with POLITICO in Bratislava, Heger said he was afraid that the populist government would lead the country away from Western institutions..

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Smer insists it does not want to change Slovakia's foreign policy orientation.

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Asked about Smer's position on Ukraine, she acknowledged that Ukrainians "

“We have always supported aid to Ukraine – humanitarian aid, negotiations, mediation, support for refugees who now also live in Slovakia. But we cannot provide Ukraine with any military support simply because there is no military equipment left in Slovakia,” she said..

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However, experts are not convinced.

“If the Smer party – with or without Robert Fico – is in government, they will definitely try to change the current level of support for Ukraine,” said Milan Nitsch, a senior fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations who specializes in Slovakia.. At the same time, he added that Smer is a pragmatic party with no foreign policy..

And even if Fico leads the polls right now, he won't necessarily be in power..

" The fate of these elections will be decided by small parties,” Nitsch said..

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Slovakia fell into a political crisis last September when Heger's ruling center-right coalition lost its majority after the Libertarian SaS party left.. The country's political scene is fragmented ahead of an election that could be won by former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's largest opposition party, SMER..

Fico has previously said he intends to block arms supplies to Ukraine and some EU plans for sanctions against Russia if he wins a snap election..

In early May, Zuzana Chaputova granted the request of Prime Minister Eduard Heger to resign.