Not another farm fraud? Slovaks face heat over EU funds for fake guesthouses.

By Ketrin Jochecová | 09/12/2025 12:12 PM EDT

Critics say a Slovak body distributing EU farm aid is a “bank for oligarchs.”

Chair of the Progressive Slovakia party Michal Šimečka addresses participants during a rally.

Michal Šimečka the liberal Progressive Slovakia, has alleged that tens of millions of euros intended to help people in Slovakia “were misused by Robert Fico’s government and his oligarchs.” omas Benedikovic/AFP via Getty Images

First Greece. Now Slovakia.

Slovak officials face allegations of having used European funds to build fake guesthouses that only privileged insiders can stay in.

On paper, the guesthouses were intended to support rural tourism. In reality some have served as luxury villas for officials and their friends — with some even living in them permanently.

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The so-called Hacienda case has been in the Slovak spotlight for months, with the opposition calling for answers and accountability and the ruling party trying to ignore it.

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