Bratislava – A significant majority of Slovaks support their country’s membership in both the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and the European Union (EU), with approval ratings exceeding 70 percent for both organizations. These findings are part of the Globsec Trends 2025 public opinion survey conducted across nine countries in Eastern and Central Europe, which were disclosed at a press conference on Wednesday, as reported by TASR.
When respondents were asked if they would defend Slovakia in the event of an attack by a foreign nation, the results varied significantly. While most countries in the region showed a strong commitment to defending their homeland, Slovakia stands out as an exception, with only 49 percent of respondents expressing willingness to defend the country. In contrast, Poland boasts a much higher willingness at 84 percent, noted analyst Katarína Klingová from the Globsec Center for Democracy and Resilience.
The survey also indicated that 73 percent of participants across the region advocate for increased defense spending, with 63 percent of Slovak respondents in agreement. Additionally, over two-thirds of those surveyed in Slovakia support the implementation of voluntary military service, compared to 89 percent in Poland.
Furthermore, the majority of individuals in Slovakia and the surrounding region believe that democracy is advantageous for their country. Nevertheless, around 43 percent feel that democracy is absent and that an elite group secretly governs the world, which is slightly below the average of the countries surveyed.
Half of the Slovak respondents view Russia as a threat, with a more significant 54 percent identifying specific Russian activities as dangerous. Opinions diverge more noticeably when it comes to China, with 33 percent perceiving it as a threat. However, this concern rises to 51 percent when the question pertains to particular actions taken by China.
“When we discuss security threats, people often envision direct physical attacks,” Klingová explained. She emphasized the need for society to grasp the concept of hybrid threats. The perception of Russia as a threat has notably intensified following the invasion of Ukraine. (May 14)
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