On March 20, 2025, experts from the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) Zora Bútorová, Miroslav Kollár and Grigorij Mesežnikov discussed with citizens of the city of Bardejov in the cultural community centre Bašta the current threats to democracy and free society. The event was organized by IVO in cooperation with the Bardejov Community Foundation (KNB) and the civic association Different as a part of the IVO Road Show project "Experts to the People", supported by the Open Information Partnership (OIP). The discussion was moderated by Jozef Jarina from the KNB. About 50 citizens of Bardejov and surrounding localities were present. 

The participants of the event focused on the challenges that the turbulent period of reformatting the alliances of democratic states in Europe after the new US administration took office poses for Slovakia’s resilience as an EU and NATO member state towards the external threats. They pointed out the obvious contradiction that has recently emerged between the inclination of a significant majority of the Slovak population to continuing the membership in Western integration groupings and the actions of the current government coalition, which has failed to engage in the creation of new forms of enhanced cooperation in Europe in the context of the increased threat of military-political expansion from the East, which is a fundamental element of the foreign policy of the current Russian regime. Sociologist Z. Bútorová presented the results of current public opinion polls, which confirm that despite the inconsistency of the attitudes of a certain part of the population, the pro-Western orientation of Slovak citizens prevails. Political scientist G. Mesežnikov pointed out the problems in the implementation of Slovakia’s foreign policy and in the operation of state institutions in the area of strategic communication, which reduce the country’s resistance to external threats. Media analyst M. Kollár characterized the current situation on the media and information scene of Slovakia in the context of attempts by hostile authoritarian states to disrupt the cohesion of society and weaken alliances between democratic states in Europe. 

During the discussion, IVO experts answered numerous questions from the audience.

Interview for Ahoj TV

Photo: Marianna Varjanová