Fico: We Must Resolve Our Relations with Party of European Socialists in 2024

Bratislava, November 17 (TASR) - During the course of 2024, Smer-SD must resolve its relationship with the Party of European Socialists, Prime Minister and party chairman Robert Fico stated in his address at the party's congress on Friday. Fico will propose Monika Benova as the number one candidate on the slate for the European elections, and he confirmed that party vice-chairman Lubos Blaha has also shown interest in running in this election. The premier hasn't yet commented more specifically on the presidential election set to take place next year. "Nobody will be crawling on the ground, and we have no intention of retreating from our principled sovereign positions on fundamental topics. My visit as prime minister to Berlin, which should follow the traditional trip to Prague, will tell us a lot," said Fico on the issue of relations with the European socialists, who suspended Smer-SD's membership in October. In connection with the presidential election in Slovakia, the premier mentioned "various considerations" among the coalition partners. "If implemented, these considerations will fundamentally change the Slovak political map," he remarked. Fico called for the party to stick to the concept of Slovak social democracy, adding that he would also like to adapt the name of the party to this. He told fellow party members that there's also a need to take into account the fact that there will be a significant generational change in Smer. "I'm pleased that the first signs were seen as early as in this election," he said. am/df