Slovak defense minister faces financial scrutiny as government restores military ties with Moscow

Slovakia’s ruling coalition faces growing scrutiny across defense, governance, and domestic policy. Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák acknowledged receiving payments through his consultancy firm for lobbying work on behalf of Czech arms manufacturer CSG before returning to office, where his ministry later awarded contracts to the company. Concurrently, Slovakia quietly restored official military attaché ties with Russia, sending a defense representative to Moscow and accepting a Russian officer in Bratislava, drawing opposition warnings regarding security risks.

Domestically, coalition friction escalated after parliament removed Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba, following a motion driven by coalition partner Andrej Danko alongside opposition lawmakers. Separately, public ethics concerns mounted over the tenderless appointment of a police investigator’s spouse to a state energy company board, shortly after the investigator dismissed multiple complaints against Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Denník N, Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy