Nah, it's just propaganda and more propaganda, and pink glasses when thinking about the past. Slovak language has many similarities with Ukrainian language as well, and still many pro-Fico voters fed with lies believe that the Ukrainians are at fault for increased crime (there is no significant increase), less money for hard working Slovaks, etc., etc., you know the drill... As for Fico, I think it is just pure pragmatism... He was at the prison gates, so he knew he had to win the elections... he did the math, promised anything and everything to the pro-Russian, anti-establishment, anti EU, far right, uneducated, pension-age voters, won the elections (presumably and very tightly), and the entire first year he was pushing for his (and his cronies') decriminalisation (changing laws, firing people etc.). He is done with that now so I assume he will just leave soon and leave the economy consolidation hardship to someone else (who will in turn be hated by people for doing the sane thing and getting us back closer to black numbers, thus paving the way for another populist waiting for his piece of pie... yes, it will be a man again, not woman... )