Orbán's alleged migrant smugglers: From aid to a skeleton in the PM's closet

The Slovak political landscape is abuzz with allegations that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán might have intervened in Slovakia's electoral affairs by facilitating the entry of migrants to support Robert Fico's campaign. This explosive claim, brought forth by Péter Magyar, the victor of the Hungarian elections, has put Slovak opposition parties on high alert. They are now signaling their intent to scrutinize the situation, demanding clarity on whether such a deal, if it exists, has indeed been struck.

Meanwhile, President Peter Pellegrini has thrown a wrench into the upcoming referendum, scheduled for July 4th. By deeming one of the proposed questions unconstitutional, he has narrowed the scope of the vote. The referendum will now proceed with questions concerning the abolition of pensions for prime ministers and the reinstatement of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) and the Special Prosecutor's Office (ÚŠP), rather than addressing early elections as initially intended.

Economically, Slovakia faces a somber outlook. The ongoing conflict in Iran is projected to stifle industrial production growth this year. This is a significant concern for Slovakia, given its economy's strong interdependence with German industry. The potential slowdown in manufacturing could have ripple effects throughout the Slovak economy, exacerbating existing challenges such as rising unemployment and the departure of businesses, despite the government's claims of a declining jobless rate.