Slovak opposition accuses PM Fico of preparing country's exit from the EU

(Patria) - Slovak opposition leader Michal Šimečka yesterday initiated a no-confidence vote against the left-wing nationalist coalition, accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of preparing the ground for the country's exit from the European Union.

The opposition's attempt to oust the government will most likely fail, as the majority, however thin it may be with only 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament, is expected to support Fico.

During the war in Ukraine, Fico sought to maintain ties with Russia and halted official military support for Kyiv.

He is a critic of sanctions imposed on Russia, and at the end of the year, he further strained relations with Kyiv by halting the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, warning the public that this would cost Slovakia 1.5 billion euros in higher prices and lost transit fees.

Fico, the leader of the left-wing Smer-SSD party and a four-term Slovak Prime Minister, also said that Slovakia must prepare for "all possible crisis situations" that the EU could face in the near future, including the disintegration of the European bloc.

"This cannot be interpreted in any other way than how we warned – that the Government led by the Smer party is preparing the ground for Slovakia's exit from the European Union," said Šimečka, leader of the largest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia.

"I consider this an existential threat to our national interests, and that is enough reason to vote no confidence in the government," Šimečka told parliament.

Fico retorted that foreign policy is determined by NATO and EU membership, but that Slovakia cannot be "static" in a rapidly changing world.

"What if a group of three or four largest countries says, ladies and gentlemen, either we will be a supranational state where you will lose all national sovereignty, or go your own way. We are talking about a development that could happen very quickly," Fico said.

He reiterated his opposition to the principle of majority voting being applied in more and more areas within the EU instead of unanimous decision-making. This, he warned, would limit the power of the national veto.

The Slovak opposition resents Fico for visiting Moscow last month and meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss gas, while not visiting Kyiv.

Fico accuses the opposition of preparing protests to seize power, but Šimečka denies this.

During his term, Fico also visited China, Brazil, and Turkey, pursuing a foreign policy in "all directions."