Of these, the most popular was Štefan Harabin, the aforementioned judge whose media presence has made him one of the most influential and active purveyors of disinformation in Slovakia.

Several candidates were also observed spreading false information and conspiracy theories. In a 2014 recording, he was documented asking Russia’s ambassador to Slovakia for financial support. The editor-in-chief and co-founder of the notorious disinformation outlet Zem a Vek (Earth and Age) is known for his connections with Russian diplomatic representatives. For example, one of the leading authors of Hlavné Správy (Main News) is a Russian citizen with ties to Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik for several years, he has also published pro-Kremlin narratives under a Slovak pseudonym. While there is no proof of a direct financial connection between Slovak disinformation outlets and the Kremlin, hints of such ties are visible. GLOBSEC’s research and independent reporting suggest ties between Slovak and Russian disinformation outlets, and it is common for Russian disinformation to support particular candidates or political parties in order to influence and subvert a country’s democratic processes, domestic politics, or geopolitical orientation. GLOBSEC’s monitoring of the most influential disinformation outlets on Facebook observed a smear campaign targeting Zuzana Čaputová and overwhelming support for Štefan Harabin-a judge on the Slovak Supreme Court and a former Minister of Justice known for publishing pro-Kremlin disinformation on his blog, YouTube channel, and regular radio broadcast. In a country of less than six million people, a little bit of disinformation goes a long way. Ultimately, Čaputová won the second round with 58.4 percent of the vote-an historic victory in an election that was noteworthy in part for the widespread use of disinformation. A lawyer and activist for anti-corruption and environmental causes, Čaputová received more than 40 percent of the vote in the first round of the election second-place finisher Maroš Šefčovič drew just under 19 percent. Many see the election of Zuzana Čaputová to the Slovak presidency as a hopeful sign for Central European politics.

Rays of hope 2019