It's All About Being Decisive: Robert Fico Brings Up Authoritarian States as a Model for Western Democracies
Authoritarian states' effectiveness, according to Robert Fico, is laudable.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico put the cat amongst the pigeons with his endorsement of authoritarian states' economic efficiency and a took a swipe at Western democracies. While in Uzbekistan, Fico shared his belief that we Europeans need to rethink the political system, borrowing elements from states like Uzbekistan, China, and Vietnam, because they are economically more efficient due to their knack for decisive action [1][3].
Without prompting, Fico clarified that he wasn't advocating for a complete democracy ditched for the absolute power structure. However, he advised that learning from other political systems with different structures could help speed up the decision-making process [1][3].
In Fico's mind, too many political parties slow down the decision-making process – he asks if it's practical to have a hundred political parties, but only four can bring the heat.
Politics – The Flip Side: Democracy Under AttackThe World Watch List shows that the number of countries ruled autocratically has been on the rise. Uzbekistan, with an impressive 6.3% economic growth in 2023, has seen a massive transformation since the death of autocratic ruler Islam Karimov in 2016. President Mirziyoyev has been leading liberal reforms, modernization, and opening up the country [2].
Fico's View on the EU Paints a Different Picture
As Slovakia's Prime Minister for the fourth time, Fico faced stiff criticism for his ruling style. Protests led by the opposition against Fico's government have raised concerns about authoritarianism. Fico has defended himself, stating that opposition groups want to overthrow the result of democratic elections by taking to the streets [1][5].
Politics - The Elephant in the Room: A Pro-Russian StanceFico's political strategy includes maintaining positive relations with Russia. He opposes the EU's plans for importing Russian natural gas and aspires to continue purchasing nuclear fuel from Russia to ensure the stability of Slovak nuclear power plants [1][4]. Despite opposition from other EU leaders, Fico traveled to Moscow in May to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II alongside Vladimir Putin.
Sources:[1] NTV.de, CR/dpa[2] Chr/dpa[3] Enrichment Data – Slovakia[4] Reuters, S. Szabo[5] New York Times, C. Sch dorman
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's assertion about Western democracies' need for reform, drawing parallels from policy-and-legislation in countries like Uzbekistan, China, and Vietnam, is a controversial point in Slovakian general-news. His proposed learning from different political systems, including authoritarian ones, is aimed at expediting the decision-making process, despite his denial of advocating for a complete shift from democracy.
In contrast, Fico's stance on the European Union paintings a different picture. His pro-Russian policies, including opposing EU plans for importing Russian gas and maintaining positive relations with Russia, have raised concerns about his adherence to democratic principles within the EU, a matter of ongoing political debate in Slovakia.
