(source: TASR)
Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Fico et al lash out against MEPs who came to see how Slovakia is handling the rule of law and EU funds. Parliament passes a resolution on Russian sanctions, but even those who proposed it are taken aback.
If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk.
Not Hungary, but heading in that direction
The EU is concerned. Deeply concerned in fact, judging from what almost all the members of two recent missions from the European Parliament who came to see how Slovakia is doing in terms of upholding the rule of law and transparency in drawing EU funds said before they left. The fact that Slovakia’s prime minister called the leader of one of the missions a “hired political assassin” – and it’s worth noting that when Fico ascribes murderous intentions, which he does often, he appears to mean it literally – may have had something to do with their deepening concerns.
The target of Robert Fico’s abuse was Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský, who led the first of the two missions from the European Parliament that descended on Slovakia in late May and early June. Its mission focused on Slovakia’s drawing of EU funds; the second mission, led by MEP Sophie Wilmes, a former Belgian prime minister, was to monitor observance of the rule of law in Slovakia. Smer politicians called the first a “hybrid operation” and alleged – citing no evidence whatsoever – that it was orchestrated by the Slovak opposition.
German MEP Daniel Freund, who took part in both missions, said in an interview with the Sme daily that it is no coincidence that Slovakia was chosen by these two groups of MEPs as the destination for their first missions in the current parliamentary term.
“I have been dealing with issues of rule of law, including in Slovakia, for years, so it did not surprise me,” said Freund. “I have had certain concerns before, which have not disappeared after having spoken to partners here, but in some aspects even worsened.”
