Slovak Prime Minister Proposes Constitutional Amendment in Response to Russian Drone Attacks

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has initiated amendments to the country’s constitution to introduce a special legal regime—a “state of threat.” This is intended to help the military respond appropriately to violations of the country’s airspace.

According to the publication Noviny, the Slovak leader aims to grant the military legal authority to respond swiftly to such threats in the airspace. The impetus for this was an incident during Russia’s massive attack on Ukraine, when a Russian drone struck the town of Perechyn in Zakarpattia, just 10 kilometers from the Slovak border.

According to Pellegrini, Slovakia’s current legislation provides for only two states: peacetime or wartime, which limits the armed forces’ ability to carry out preventive measures. The introduction of an intermediate “state of threat” will allow the military to effectively shoot down or intercept targets without waiting for an official declaration of war. The president emphasized that this is a technical solution necessary for the safety of citizens, not a tool for political struggle.

Next week, Peter Pellegrini will convene a roundtable with military leadership and leaders of all political parties to discuss the details of the bill. He expressed hope for a consensus between the coalition and the opposition, as the proximity of hostilities to NATO’s borders requires Bratislava to quickly adapt its defense strategy. The incident in Perechyn served as yet another reminder of the risks of the conflict spreading to neighboring European states and the need to strengthen control over the Alliance’s eastern flank.

On April 1, Ukrainian air defenders repelled a large-scale daytime attack, neutralizing 345 out of 361 Russian drones.

During this attack, strikes by Russian drones on critical infrastructure were recorded in the Khust and Uzhhorod districts.