The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns Tuesday’s denigrating comments by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, in which he called reporters “bloodthirsty bastards” who are “possessed by the devil,” and calls on Slovak authorities to ensure that journalists can do their jobs without fear of reprisal.

“We are alarmed by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s derogatory remarks against journalists in Slovakia,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative in Berlin. “Such hostile rhetoric from the highest levels of government endangers journalists and erodes public trust in the media. Government officials should support the work of journalists instead of smearing them.”

Fico’s latest verbal attack on the press, made at an October 8 news conference when he was questioned about the stability of his governing coalition, illustrates a concerning trend of growing hostility towards the media.

CPJ was on a mission in Slovakia in May when a gunman tried to assassinate Fico. Journalists said they were facing an “orchestrated pattern” of abuse, with politicians verbally attacking reporters in public and online, and their supporters then amplifying their messages on social media. Several feared that such insults could easily escalate into physical violence again, as happened with the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak.

Since Fico returned to power in October 2023, he has intensified his anti-media rhetoric and members of the ruling coalition blamed journalists for the May shooting, linking it to their critical coverage.

CPJ’s emailed request for comment to Fico’s press department did not receive an immediate reply.