Robert Fico visiting Viktor Orbán in Budapest. (source: TASR/MTI)
Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Fico airs his Ukraine-related grievances in Budapest. Pellegrini finally agrees to run. The actual president gives an extraordinary address in parliament, listing the reasons why changes to the Penal Code are bad.
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Fico meets Orbán, badmouths Ukraine
We are doomed to cooperation and, I very much believe, also to success, Robert Fico said last week in Budapest, as he stood next to a nodding Viktor Orbán.
It was Fico’s second official bilateral visit since he returned as prime minister in the autumn (the first visit by Slovak (and Czech) heads of state and government are traditionally exchanged between Bratislava and Prague). Orbán and Fico agreed on their rejection of the proposed common migration policy of the EU, their opposition to any proposal to do away with member states’ veto right in the European Council, on Ukraine and in particular on the stance that the EU should take towards it, as well as on the functioning of the Visegrad Group (V4) of central European states, of which both are members.
Since Fico took over as premier of Slovakia in October, he and Orbán have been viewed with concern in EU circles as a potential tandem that could complicate the bloc’s efforts to support Ukraine. Orbán has consistently been the most anti-Ukrainian European leader since Russia invaded its (and Hungary’s) neighbour almost two years ago. Fico won Slovakia’s parliamentary election thanks to a campaign in which, among other things, he promised to stop the flow of Slovak military aid to Ukraine. Nor was he shy about echoing and endorsing pro-Kremlin propaganda messages during his campaign – something that he continues to do so as prime minister, not least when he finds himself standing alongside fellow travellers like Orbán.
"Ukraine has no military solution and the current strategy is not working," Fico told the media in Budapest.
Proud to be a bad boy
He assured Orbán that he appreciates it when the Hungarian prime minister speaks up loudly at the European Council to say that the war requires a political and not a military solution – rhetoric that both prime ministers are known for, and which repeats messages spread by pro-Russian propaganda outlets.
He has indicated that he is ready to take inspiration from Orbán and play the anti-establishment tune even now that he is prime minister again – i.e. at the very helm of the establishment. Orbán has shown how that can be done, using Brussels as one of his principal strawmen adversaries.
By expressing a willingness to play a potentially disruptive role within the EU, Fico is following the example set by Orbán, who over his 14 years in power in Hungary has shown that doing so can result in considerable political profit for comparatively little consequence.
Fico appeared to take some pride in a recent article in the magazine Politico that listed him among the “dirty dozen” or “bad boys” of the World Economic Forum held in Davos last week. He stressed that he does not “respect a single obligatory opinion”.
"Viktor, you are very popular among normal people in Slovakia because you fight for the national interests of your country, you promote what you promised to your voters, you speak openly about the mistakes of international institutions and you stand very clearly for the sovereignty of your own country," Fico said during a press conference with Orbán.
There is some discussion within the EU about the possibility of withdrawing altogether Hungary’s voting rights in the European Council, given his repeated flouting of the EU’s legal norms, as well as consideration of the possible withdrawal of the rotating presidency of the EU that Hungary is due to assume this year. Fico assured Orbán that he could count on him.
