Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called on journalists at a press conference on December 10 to stop attacking his family, saying that he is their target and not his wife, mother, son or deceased father and grandfather, the TASR newswire wrote.
He reacted to the interest of an unnamed daily regarding the inheritance file of his father and grandfather. Fico said that this inquiry represents an effort to “terrorise the dead”.
He called on journalists to stop digging into the past of his deceased father, a worker, as well as his grandfather, a farmer, for they will never find anything of substance. Fico added that not even the filthiest swine in the world would do such a thing. “Come on, shoot at me from dawn to dusk - I'm your target,” he was quoted by the TASR.
Fico was also upset over the current issue of Plus Sedem Dní magazine that states that his relatives are quite well-off by virtue of their Slovak Land Fund (SPF) posts. He likened the press to the Mafia and said he is intent on protecting himself against any untrue claims by legal means.
The PM also said that the Slovak press has misrepresented his speech at the Smer party convention on December 6. In his lambasting of the Slovak media, he pointed out that there was no media coverage of a meeting of press representatives last week in which the press allegedly discussed their joint action against the current government. He added that no proof of this conspiracy is needed – all one needs to do is read the newspapers.
He also said journalists constantly lie, mislead the public and twist the truth. Having become heated in his remarks, Fico apologised for being emotional; however, the way the press has proceeded in investigating the inheritance file has been over the top, he said. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
