Slovak nationalists call out Fico’s EUCO support

1 year ago 73

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06-11-2023 (updated: 06-11-2023 )

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News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

“The fact that Robert Fico supported it, I do not agree with that. You can see military support in the text, yet he has clearly communicated that we reject military aid,” Danko told Hospodárske noviny, adding that he would relay his feelings to Fico. [EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK]

Slovakia’s support of the European Council conclusions, which included military aid for Ukraine, was met with disapproval from Slovak National Party leader Andrej Danko, who called out Prime Minister Robert Fico for his earlier comments about rejecting military aid.

Fico said he was willing to chip in for the €50 million financial aid to Ukraine if his conditions, including safeguards from corruption and opportunities for Slovak companies, are met.

“The fact that Robert Fico supported it, I do not agree with that. You can see military support in the text, yet he has clearly communicated that we reject military aid,” Danko told Hospodárske noviny, adding that he would relay his feelings to Fico.

Entering a government with the nationalists has led to Smer being suspended from the Party of European Socialists. Now, Danko is saying he wants to try his chances at next year’s EU parliamentary elections as he is not sure about the longevity of the new government.

Danko is attacking the governmental actions of Hlas ministers as well. He is unhappy with the new Education Minister Tomáš Drucker, who went on record saying that “NGOs in schools are not a problem”.

But the nationalists are adamant about passing a Russia-style law, which would label organisations receiving funding from abroad as “foreign agents”. Danko has also accused Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková of pushing for compulsory vaccinations, which she refuted.

Danko’s party has previously made waves during the process of government creation when their candidate for Environment Minister Rudolf Huliak was rejected by President Zuzana Čaputová for denying climate change and threatening activists. Nationalists then caved in and presented a new candidate, Tomáš Taraba, who went on to say he does not see humans as the biggest threat to nature.

The nationalists have historically won only one seat in the EU Parliament. In 2009, Jaroslav Paška became their first MEP and joined the now-defunct Europe of Freedom and Democracy group.

(Barbara Zmušková | Euractiv.sk)