Latest news with #Smer-SD
Euractiv
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
France rejects Fico's claims of foreign pressure on top Slovak court
BRATISLAVA – Slovakia's Constitutional Court and the French Embassy to the country have pushed back against accusations by Prime Minister Robert Fico, who claimed foreign ambassadors attempted to influence a politically sensitive case. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Fico's Smer-SD party published a photo of ambassadors from the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg meeting with Constitutional Court President Ivan Fiačan, calling the visits 'suspicious' as the court reviews a controversial law on NGO transparency. A day earlier, Fico alleged that the diplomats were pressuring the court to rule the law unconstitutional. The French embassy firmly denied the allegation, clarifying that the meeting in question took place in March, before the law had even been adopted, and was publicly shared at the time. 'The Embassy does not interfere in the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic and therefore did not attempt to influence the President of the Court on a law that had not yet been adopted at the time of the meeting,' the Embassy wrote on Wednesday. It added that meetings between ambassadors and judicial officials are standard diplomatic practice and said the goal was to foster cooperation between Slovakia's Constitutional Court and France's Constitutional Council as a way to strengthen the rule of law. Slovakia's Constitutional Court also dismissed Fico's claim, saying it does not tolerate attempts to discredit its work and never discusses ongoing cases with third parties. 'False and baseless statements targeting the court constitute a serious and unacceptable attack on judicial impartiality and independence, contradict the principles of the rule of law, and unjustifiably undermine the constitutional order of the Slovak Republic,' it said. Fico's accusations came as he also claimed the UK had interfered in Slovakia's elections - an allegation strongly denied by London. Opposition party Progressive Slovakia suggested Fico is trying to deflect attention from unpopular government plans, such as a reported VAT increase to 25% VAT, which the finance ministry has so far denied. (de) (Natália Silenská,
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Slovak PM's associate says Russia would be more reliable neighbour than Ukraine
Erik Kaliňák, an MEP and deputy leader of Slovakia's ruling party, Smer-SD, has said that he sees no problem with the Russian occupation of Ukraine, as Slovakia would then have a "reliable neighbour". Source: European Pravda with reference to Slovak media outlet Aktuality Details: Asked by a journalist what it would mean for Slovakia if the Russians were in Kyiv, Kaliňák said that while he does not want the Russians on Slovak borders, he sees them as more reliable partners than the Ukrainians. Quote from Kaliňák: "I'm going to be cynical and say that we would finally have a reliable neighbour. Because if you look at Slovak-Ukrainian relations and how many times we've had to rescue them after they've built up an economic conflict with Russia, and how many times they've failed to help us, then from that point of view the Russians are a more reliable partner for us." Details: The opposition party Progressive Slovakia has reacted to Kaliňák's remarks, calling them a betrayal. "We have been talking about this for a long time and clearly. No policy on the four fundamental points, but Russian rule – that is this government's vision for Slovakia. Just like when Tibor Gašpar suggested that Slovakia leave the EU, this is the moment when the Smer party reveals its true intentions for Slovakia," the opposition party said in a statement. Progressive Slovakia added that Fico is moving the country "away from Europe". "Fico is burning bridges with our allies, delivering us into the hands of Putin and Trump. This is a betrayal. He has no legitimacy to do this, this government must resign as soon as possible, and the only solution is snap elections," the party said. Background: After a Slovak parliamentary delegation returned from a visit to Moscow, Tibor Gašpar, Deputy Chairman of the Slovak Parliament, admitted the possibility of Slovakia withdrawing from the European Union, although he said it would be a last resort. This triggered protests in a number of Slovak cities in January under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe". Prime Minister Robert Fico said the demonstrations had been organised on the basis of lies and that the government had no plans for Slovakia to leave the EU. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
