8. Dec 2025 at 21:21
The number of MEPs resisting Russia-related resolutions has doubled since 2019, with Slovakia contributing some of the assembly’s most loyal pro-Kremlin voters.
MEP Milan Mazurek (source: SME – Marko Erd)
A new analysis by EUobserver has ranked Slovakia among the EU countries with the highest number of MEPs voting consistently in line with Russia’s interests — five in total — with extremist Republika party members Milan Mazurek and Milan Uhrík topping the list.
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The outlet examined voting behaviour in the 10th European Parliament, elected in June 2024, and found a marked shift to the right. The number of MEPs regularly opposing resolutions concerning Russia has doubled, rising from around 40 in the previous term to 84. Abstentions also increased, from 43 to 62.
“The bloc remains too small to overturn a resolution, yet the distance between the mainstream and the radicals has clearly narrowed,” the authors point out.
For Slovakia, MEPs from Republika, Smer and Hlas rank among the most consistently pro-Kremlin. The expanded Smer delegation — up from two to five MEPs — appears to reflect PM Robert Fico’s self-declared “balanced” stance toward Russia, having rejected 12 out of 14 relevant resolutions to date.
EUobserver also compiled a list of 21 MEPs who most reliably vote in line with Moscow’s positions. Right at the top of the ranking is Republika’s Milan Mazurek, with 16 votes against and one abstention, followed closely by party leader Milan Uhrík, who cast 16 votes against but failed to vote once.
Mazurek has a history of extremist positions: he was previously convicted for racist remarks against Roma, costing him his seat in the Slovak parliament. He was later investigated for Holocaust-denial statements on social media, though charges were ultimately dropped. Politico has described him as a “smiling racist” and awarded him five out of five scary emojis in its list of “the 23 kookiest MEPs”.
Three Smer MEPs also appear in the pro-Kremlin group: Erik Kaliňák with 15 votes against, and Judita Laššáková and Ľuboš Blaha, each with 14.
