The conditions for human rights advocates, already difficult in Slovakia, keep worsening.

Attacks on NGOs have grown stronger since Robert Fico's administration returned to office in 2023, openly aiming at groups viewed as politically active.

The government's policy declaration stated it could not tolerate politically driven bodies, often backed from outside, shaping democratic contests without clear transparency.

Following damaging NGO rules emerging in parts of the region that limit civic groups, Slovak officials proposed their version of a foreign agents measure, later retitled as an update to the non-profit organizations act after public protests.

Human rights organizations saw it as a tool to manage, label and limit their work, and the Slovak Constitutional Court declared it invalid in December 2025 for violating supporter privacy rights and imposing excessive administrative loads that could amount to harassment.

Shortly after that decision, prime minister Robert Fico directed state bodies to apply every available oversight tool for NGO reviews.

Over half the NGOs in a fresh Amnesty International report noted that state checks have grown tougher than during the prior five years.

Alongside efforts to mirror foreign agent measures from other nations facing reduced civic room, officials use familiar approaches to portray accountability groups as threats.

Fico and the interior minister have accused civil society organizations of preparing a state coup. The tension reaches minority issues too, with the culture minister openly criticizing LGBTI human rights workers, calling their work a malignant ideology and declaring they will receive no further state funds.

A Slovak human rights advocate told Amnesty International that Fico had singled out civil society for restriction from the start of the election period, noting the rising risks for NGOs.

A recent Amnesty International Slovakia briefing titled Human rights defenders under the weight of attacks: Continuing erosion of civic space presents accounts from 13 defenders and input from more than 120 Slovak NGOs focused on advocacy, minority support, environmental work or social services.

Besides repeated hostile statements and labeling by officials, activists describe rising money worries plus online and physical threats from the public that further squeeze an already limited space.

Some 35 percent of surveyed NGOs said they or their staff and members encounter online abuse such as cyberbullying, doxxing, hacking and smear efforts, while another 18 percent reported physical incidents against people or offices.

Many connect these public incidents to the tense climate set by government statements, including top-level verbal criticism that weakens civil society overall.

UN Takes Notice

Even UN Special Procedure experts, who seldom address Slovakia's rights record, have spoken out.

In March 2025 they flagged worsening basic freedoms and civic space, pointing to state pressure on NGOs, media and peaceful demonstrations.

Official policies and language keep producing a chilling impact on associations.

Some NGOs skip state funding requests altogether, assuming they sit on a blacklist tied to their focus areas, a view backed by statements like the culture minister's pledge that LGBTI groups will get no state budget money.

To let human rights thrive in Slovakia, officials need to change direction, moving from targeting civil society to fulfilling duties to safeguard everyone's rights, including those of marginalized communities.

They must create conditions where defenders and groups can work freely and safely, without persecution or threats, following international human rights rules.

Even amid tougher conditions, Slovak NGOs display strong persistence and bravery.

In a setting where civil society faces steady pressure, that steady commitment merits broad international backing and solidarity.