PM Robert Fico (source: TASR)
Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Fico agrees to the European summit’s conclusions, arguing that a vague mention of gas in the document satisfies his demands. Fico’s top adviser says he would welcome Russia occupying Ukraine as a “reliable neighbour”.
If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk.
Fico says Ukraine harms Slovakia, but quietly yields at the EU summit
On Thursday morning, before getting on his plane to Brussels, Robert Fico enjoyed an hour-and-a-half-long workout session and then went to parliament to discuss Slovakia’s position ahead of an emergency summit on Ukraine in the EU capital.
In the one hour that he spent at the parliament, he gave little chance to opposition MPs on the European Affairs Committee to question his proposed position. Instead, loyal MPs from his own Smer party were able to ask questions, including one that led him to confirm that he would block the council from passing its proposed conclusions unless it obliged his request to mention the issue of Russian gas transit through Ukraine (which Ukraine stopped as of January 1, following the expiry of a contract with Russia’s Gazprom).
In the end, Fico did what he always does: issue resolute and fiery claims in front of his home audience, and then decline to break ranks with fellow EU leaders in Brussels. This resulted, on Thursday, with only Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán vetoing the council’s conclusions on Ukraine, which were signed by 26 of the 27 member state leaders – including Fico.
Back in Slovakia on Friday, perhaps prompted by attacks from the right, Fico seemed to feel the need to defend his position – the far-right Republika party, for instance, said he had “voted like [opposition Progressive Slovakia leader Michal] Šimecka would have”.
