Slovakia’s parliament has approved a law that strengthens oversight of non-governmental organisations by requiring them to disclose the sources of their funding and the names of major donors.
The legislation was presented by Prime Minister Robert Fitzo’s government as a step toward greater transparency.
Critics say the law is designed to intimidate civil society groups and silence dissenting voices. The bill has also been called a “Russian law”, referring to similar legislation in Russia that severely restricted the activities of non-governmental organisations. The government denies this.
The legislative initiative has sparked protests across Slovakia. A fortnight ago, thousands of demonstrators marched against the law in Bratislava and other Slovak cities.