Fico authorizes Filip Kuffa to manage Ministry of Environment to avoid legal dispute

Prime Minister Robert Fico authorized State Secretary Filip Kuffa to manage the Ministry of Environment on November 14, 2026. This decision aims to avoid a legal dispute with President Peter Pellegrini. The move follows the refusal of President Peter Pellegrini to appoint Kuffa as the Minister of Environment.

Dispute over ministry leadership

President Peter Pellegrini has declined to appoint Filip Kuffa as the Minister of Environment, citing the necessity of a different candidate and a ruling from the Constitutional Court. In response to this refusal, Prime Minister Robert Fico criticized the narrow interpretation of the Slovak Constitution provided by President Peter Pellegrini regarding the management of the Ministry of Environment. Prime Minister Robert Fico stated via social media that he has fully authorized Filip Kuffa to manage the ministry to prevent legal conflict. The Ministry of Environment is currently a ministry belonging to the Slovak National Party (SNS).

The Ministry of Environment is currently under investigation by police for suspected serious criminal activity. While the leadership transition occurs, the Smer-SD party has adjusted its political schedule. The Smer-SD party has rescheduled its planned congress from November 2026 to the spring of 2027. Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that the Smer-SD congress in spring 2027 is intended to serve as the start of the party's election campaign. He further noted that the party will no longer be under the pressure of coalition obligations during this period.

Parliamentary votes and foreign policy

The Slovak Parliament recently reached a decision regarding whistleblower legislation. On November 12, 2026, the parliament rejected a bill regarding whistleblowers. The vote resulted in 75 votes in favor, 74 votes against, and 1 abstention. While Prime Minister Robert Fico described the outcome of the whistleblower bill vote as a tie, the result represented a failure for the coalition to pass the proposal.

Regarding international relations, Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that Smer-SD will not support further military loans to Ukraine, although Slovakia will continue to provide bilateral aid. This stance comes amid discussions at the EU summit in Dublin, where Prime Minister Robert Fico noted that European leaders expressed interest in multilateral negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In a separate diplomatic matter, Prime Minister Robert Fico accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of blackmail regarding EU budget support for the period of 2028–2034. Additionally, Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed that a witness, Ľudovít Makó, testified about fascist methods used by police and prosecutors in the Očistec case on November 14, 2026.

Glossary

• Ministry of Environment — The Ministry of Environment is a ministry belonging to the Slovak National Party (SNS). It is currently under investigation by police for suspected serious criminal activity.
• Slovak National Party (SNS) — The Slovak National Party (SNS) is a political party. The Ministry of Environment is currently a ministry belonging to this party.
• Smer-SD — Smer-SD is a political party. The party has adjusted its political schedule and rescheduled its planned congress from November 2026 to the spring of 2027.
• Slovak Parliament — The Slovak Parliament is a legislative body that recently reached a decision regarding whistleblower legislation.