Globsec, a Bratislava-based think tank, has announced that its international forum will be held in the Czech Republic instead of Slovakia for the first time since 2005 following repeated criticism from Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government.

The international conference, which last year hosted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron, will be hosted by Czech President Petr Pavel instead of Slovak officials. The think tank’s headquarters will remain in Slovakia, Czech news service Seznam Zprávy reported.

“The decision to hold the Globsec Forum 2024 in Prague this year is a symbolic step towards more intensive regional cooperation,” Róbert Vass, president and founder of Globsec, told Seznam Zprávy “Prague’s rich history and strategic importance make it an ideal place to support international dialogue and spread the constructive voice of Central Europe.”

Fico, serving his fourth term as prime minister, has supported Globsec in the past, describing it in 2012 as the “diplomatic success of Slovakia.” Now, the political institute is a thorn in Fico’s side.

Last December, Fico stated on Facebook that his government would instead give money dedicated “to Globsec and the people of George Soros” elsewhere. Additionally, Andrej Danko, Fico’s coalition partner from the Slovak National Party (SNS), declared that “the third sector should be limited financially” and “Globsec should not receive a single euro from the state.”

Reports that Globsec was considering moving the conference to Warsaw or Prague began to emerge in February. The organisation did not cite the political atmosphere in Slovakia as a reason at the time, but according to Denník N’s sources, it was one of the factors influencing the NGO’s decision.

The organisers might have a problem attracting prominent heads of state to Slovakia, given the pro-Russian statements of government politicians, a person close to Globsec told Denník N in February.

Over the weekend, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár shook hands with Vladimir Putin’s chief diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, at a diplomatic forum in Turkey. Fico said he had recommended the meeting to Blanár.

In addition to Globsec, ESET, a Slovakian software company, admitted it was considering moving abroad.

“For now, the majority view within ESET is that it has to stay in Slovakia,” ESET founder Miroslav Trnka told denník SME, adding that if government lies were to become the norm, the company could not exist in such an environment.

Trnka moved to Prague at the end of last year. He cited verbal aggression and the spreading of conspiracy theories and lies about the company and himself.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)

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