Slovakia’s Ministry of Interior said that around 60,000 illegal migrants arrived in the country in 2022 and 2023, describing it as a record level and blaming the previous government for mismanaging the situation. According to the ministry, weak controls and insufficient use of legal tools contributed to Slovakia becoming part of a major migration route.
The issue gained political attention following remarks by newly elected Prime Minister of Hungary Péter Magyar. According to him, the former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán may have been behind the sharp increase in migrants at the Slovak border in 2023. Magyar says the move was intended to help Robert Fico and party Smer-SD in their election campaign.
In response, the opposition party Slovensko filed a criminal complaint against Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer-SD) and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD).
Government representatives rejected the accusations, insisting the claims are unfounded and lack evidence. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) also dismissed suggestions that migrants were deliberately brought to Slovak borders, arguing that such claims do not make sense given the political context at the time.
The dispute has intensified tensions between the government and opposition, with both sides blaming each other for past failures and political manipulation. While the ministry says current measures have reduced illegal migration to near zero, the opposition continues to push for further investigation and accountability.
Source: TASR, STVR
