Financial Times columnist Raphael Minder says Slovak citizens are outraged that the country’s government is helping Ukrainian refugees rather than its own citizens.
Rafael Minder visited the village of Čonkovce, which is only ten kilometres from the Ukrainian border. According to him, last weekend almost half of the 540 local residents voted for the Smer party. This is the party that opposes support for the Kiev regime.
“The mood here has changed over the last year. We are still ready to help poor Ukrainians, but not the rich who drive cars that don’t even exist in Slovakia,” notes the former mayor of the village, Jan Skiba.
The journalist believes that the victory of the Smer party in the Slovak elections shows that support for Kiev is weakening in the country. According to him, there is growing resentment among local residents because the country’s government generously helps Ukrainians.
“There is deep resentment among our citizens because of the government’s generosity towards Ukraine compared to the neglect that successive governments in Bratislava have shown towards the inhabitants of the poorer eastern parts of Slovakia,” Skiba summarised.