Pellegrini Pushes for 'State of Threat' Amid Drone Defense Concerns

Slovakia Lacks Legal Means to Defend Against Drones

President Peter Pellegrini, along with Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák, are proposing the introduction of a new security institution into the Slovak constitution: a state of threat. This would be an intermediate stage between peacetime and a state of war, which is currently missing from the legislation. The impetus came after the President's visit to the Chief of the General Staff, Daniel Zmeko, where the armed forces openly acknowledged a serious gap in the legal framework.

The core of the problem is alarming: if a hostile drone were to enter Slovak airspace today, the military would not have the right to shoot it down. Minister Kaliňák confirmed that the Mantis air defense system located at the Prešov airport would be acting illegally in the event of a real threat. The Slovak constitution only recognizes peacetime, a state of emergency, a state of exception, and a state of war – no intermediate stage that would allow the deployment of military force without a formal declaration of war.

How the New Institution Would Work

According to the proposal, the state of threat could be declared by the government on the recommendation of the State Security Council. It would be activated, for example, in the event of intelligence about a planned terrorist attack on critical infrastructure – nuclear power plants, energy hubs, or military facilities.

Pellegrini emphasized that this is not preparation for a military conflict. "This is not legislation to prepare Slovakia for a war conflict, but for threats," the President stated. In practice, this would mean the possibility of installing defense systems around strategic objects and authorizing them to automatically eliminate threats – such as hostile drones heading towards a nuclear power plant.

However, implementation requires a constitutional amendment, which means a constitutional majority in parliament and the necessary support from part of the opposition.

Opposition Warns of Hungarian Scenario

Opposition parties are reacting cautiously to the proposal. MP Juraj Krúpa from SaS warned that the model resembles the Hungarian system of emergency powers, which, according to critics, is being abused to create a permanent sense of threat, especially in the run-up to elections.

The KDH movement described the introduction of a new institution as unnecessary. According to the Christian Democrats, Slovak legislation already explicitly allows the deployment of the military and military resources in the event of terrorist attacks or other serious threats. The KDH sees the proposal as an unnecessary concentration of power in the hands of one ministry.

Progressive Slovakia promised a thorough assessment, but is asking for a clear explanation of exactly where current legislation fails. PS also recalled historical experiences of the military being used against its own citizens under the communist regime.

Context: Drones and Regional Security

The proposal comes at a time of growing security challenges in the region. The ongoing Middle East conflict and attacks on Elbit Systems' arms facilities in the Czech Republic have highlighted the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in Central Europe. Chief of the General Staff Zmeko confirmed that the time has come for systemic changes – not just cosmetic adjustments.

Whether a political consensus can be found to amend the constitution remains questionable. Pellegrini will have to convince the opposition that the new institution contains sufficient safeguards against abuse – in a political environment where trust between the coalition and the opposition is not exactly at its peak.