Robert Fico suggests 2003 referendum on Slovakia’s EU accession was riggedRobert Fico suggests 2003 referendum on Slovakia’s EU accession was rigged
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cast doubt on the results of the 2003 referendum on EU accession, suggesting that the vote count may have been “tampered with.” He provided no evidence to support this claim.
Fico made these remarks on November 6 at the opening of the “School of Social Democracy” organized by his party, Smer, during a discussion with former Czech President Václav Klaus, according to the Slovak outlet Noviny.sk.
“We held a referendum which, had it not been rigged, would not have been successful,” the outlet quotes the Prime Minister as saying.
Fico further alleged that the results were adjusted to ensure they met the requirements for the Slovak Republic’s accession to the EU.
At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that both the government and the opposition—including himself—supported joining the European Union at the time. He identified this political consensus as a decisive factor in the outcome’s success, adding that he has long been a supporter of European integration.
The referendum took place on May 16–17, 2003, with a voter turnout of 52.15%. It remains the first and, to date, the only valid referendum in the history of independent Slovakia. Among those who voted, 93.71% supported accession (or 92.46% of the total number of participants), while approximately 6% voted against it. In July 2003, the parliament ratified the accession treaty, and on May 1, 2004, Slovakia became a member of the EU.
Claims regarding a “manipulated” vote had already been addressed by Slovak fact-checkers following similar statements by Fico in 2025. According to Lead Stories Slovakia, the Statistical Office explained back in 2003 that the counting system precludes manipulation, as votes at polling stations are counted jointly by representatives of the various parties. The Central Referendum Commission confirmed the validity of the vote, and the results were announced by the then-Speaker of Parliament, Pavol Hrušovský.
The Slovak opposition responded to Fico’s latest statement. Branislav Gröhling, leader of the SaS party, suggested that Fico has effectively launched his election campaign. In his assessment, the Prime Minister is attempting to win back voters whom Smer is losing to the “Republic” (Republika) movement. In a statement, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) accused the Prime Minister of casting doubt “without a shred of evidence.” Igor Matovič described Fico’s remarks as dangerous.
Furthermore, during the debate, Robert Fico criticized the EU, describing it as a structure lacking a political vision that has fallen into the hands of bureaucrats. Klaus commended him for voicing such views openly.
Parliamentary elections in Slovakia are scheduled to take place no later than September 2027.