Slovakia's Fico resumes work amid fiscal, energy, and security disputes

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has resumed legislative work following a six-week summer break, confronting severe financial and policy hurdles. Addressing a required two-billion-euro budget consolidation, Fico rejected statutory debt brake rules mandating a balanced budget, describing a deficit-free proposal as "science fiction."

Meanwhile, the cabinet approved a constitutional amendment permitting referendums to trigger early elections, though the ruling coalition currently lacks sufficient parliamentary votes for passage. In energy policy, state plans for a nuclear facility remain stalled due to valuation disputes over Czech utility ČEZ's stake. Fico also dismissed opposition calls for Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok's resignation over Russian components found in traffic monitoring cameras.

Sources: Seznam Zprávy, Respect, Denník N, iROZHLAS, Hospodářské noviny