Six years after marrying in Austria, Metod Spacek and Ivan Novotny are still fighting to have their marriage recognized in Slovakia. The couple says a European Court of Justice ruling supports their case, but Slovak authorities reject that view.

Prime Minister Robert Fico continues to oppose same-sex marriage and has intensified criticism of LGBTQ+ rights. Members of Slovakia's queer community describe growing fear and discrimination, citing the 2022 Teplaren cafe attack.