| The victory of anti-liberal pro-Russian leader Robert Fico in Slovakia’s general elections is perceived as bad news across the EU, apart from in Hungary, where Viktor Orbán welcomed the incoming prime minister to be at his side at EU summits. But is Fico’s victory a prelude to populists taking over in other European capitals, which could grant Vladimir Putin victory in a civilisational conflict? To answer this question, it is helpful to look at how things developed in Slovakia. As I come from Bulgaria, I have known for some time that Slovakia and Bulgaria are the two weak links in the EU and NATO’s efforts to supply arms to Ukraine for its fight against the Russian aggressor. Slovakia and Bulgaria are special cases. Russian propaganda has found fertile ground in both countries amongst local actors acting like Kremlin propagandists. And no one seems to be fighting this propaganda at the state level. Some media do have fact-checking sections, but those are supported by international NGOs. Many Slovaks perceive their country as a victim that suffered first under the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later in the Soviet bloc within Czechoslovakia. Pan-Slavism has also played a role in strengthening pro-Russian narratives. In Bulgaria, at least a third of Bulgarians, if not half, have deeply rooted pro-Russian sentiments based on historical ties. | 
