Deputy Speaker of Parliament and SNS leader Andrej Danko in parliament. (source: TASR – Martin Baumann)
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko is preparing for another of his friendly trips to Russia, a country that launched an invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. He asked acting Speaker of Parliament Peter Žiga (Hlas) to give him approval.
According to Danko, the goal of the business trip is to negotiate Russian gas supplies to Slovakia.
"I want to use my contacts with First Deputy Prime Minister [Denis] Manturov and Mr. [Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei] Lavrov," Danko said on the public broadcaster STVR's political talk show Sobotné Dialógy, adding that he has many friends at the ministerial level in Russia. "I'm on a first name basis with Lavrov, I can contact him at any time and I can do a lot for Slovakia."
Progressive Slovakia vice-chair Michal Truban said that the real reason for Danko's trip is the decline in SNS voting preferences.
"He wants to have a photo with some Russian politicians. If Mr. Danko thinks he can get things done in Russia...Mr. Danko, you are unable to get one hunter in your party in line," he said, referring to MP Rudolf Huliak, who, together with two more MPs, defected from the SNS caucus, putting the coalition under pressure with just 76 seats left out of 150.
