Fico warns: The EU is in the deepest crisis in its history

Prime Minister attacks the direction of the Union

Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke on 17 February 2026 at an international conference on affordable rental housing, "Home 26 – Why home, why Slovakia, why now?" in Bratislava, claiming that the European Union is in the deepest crisis of its existence. According to Fico, it is not just a matter of economic performance, but above all the absence of leaders and a strategic vision for the future of the continent.

"The European Union has never been in such a crisis as it is now," said Fico, warning that if European countries continue to compete with regions that are "15 to 20 years ahead" of them, Europe risks becoming a "cultural open-air museum".

Energy as a key issue

Fico's criticism was based on arguments he has been repeating since the beginning of the year. On 12 February, before leaving for an informal EU summit on competitiveness at Alden Biesen Castle in Belgium, he described the state of the European economy as "catastrophic". According to him, the main culprits are "nonsensical climate and ideological goals" that have led to a dramatic increase in energy prices.

"If we do nothing this year, especially with electricity prices, Europe will become nothing more than a cultural open-air museum visited by wealthy Chinese," said the prime minister. According to available data, energy prices in Europe are approximately twice as high as in the US and China, which puts European industry at a significant disadvantage.

Fico has also long criticised the move away from Russian oil and gas. The Slovak government is preparing to challenge the European Commission's regulation banning imports of Russian gas from November 2027 at the EU Court of Justice, with the prime minister describing the disconnection from Russian sources as "energy suicide".

Housing has become a luxury

The conference in Bratislava focused primarily on the housing crisis in Slovakia. Fico stated that "ordinary housing has become a luxury" and that the market in this area has failed. In 2025, property prices rose by a further 12 per cent and, according to the Prime Minister, buying a flat in Bratislava is economically irrational for the average citizen.

As a solution, the government is promoting a system of state-supported rental housing through the newly established Agency for State-Supported Rental Housing (AŠPNB), which has signed contracts with four investment partners. By 2026, it should be possible to mobilise more than €200 million and support the construction of approximately 1,800 rental flats.

Brussels responds cautiously

Fico's statements on the EU crisis did not go unnoticed. At a summit in Belgium, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the problem of high energy prices, but attributed it to insufficient interconnection of energy networks and continuing dependence on fossil fuels. Her strategy envisages the creation of an "energy union" with better infrastructure and an integrated energy market.

However, Fico's rhetoric has also been met with criticism at home. Opponents point out that claims about cheap Russian oil and gas are a myth — when purchasing power is taken into account, Slovak companies buy gas at some of the highest prices in Europe. The question of whether the solution is a return to Russian sources or, on the contrary, accelerated diversification, remains one of the key political issues in Slovakia and throughout the EU.