Fico: Slovakia Won't Attack Hungary's Presidency of EU Council in Any Way

Bratislava, July 22 (TASR) - I've given representatives of Slovakia in EU bodies instructions not to attack Hungary and its Presidency of the Council of the EU in any way, shape or form, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) claimed in a video posted on a social network on Sunday. "At the same time, I'm wondering whether the time will come when even I'll need to ask permission from the EU just to go on a foreign trip," commented Fico on the decision of several EU members not to send their ministers to informal Council sessions presided over by Hungary in July. This decision was taken in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's recent visits to Moscow and Beijing. On Thursday (July 18), Slovak President Peter Pellegrini stated that Slovakia will not join the boycott. "After the attempt on my life prevented me from going on an official visit to China in June, we're preparing that trip in the autumn," added Fico. He underlined that the role of China in any potential peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine is indispensable and that he'll broach this issue during his visit to Beijing. In addition, Fico said in the video that Smer-SD is ready for talks on potentially joining the Party of European Socialists (PES) and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, although there are provisos. "Only on the condition that we won't sell our souls and will reserve the right to hold sovereign stances on foreign affairs issues of consequence," he said. The five Smer-SD MEPs are currently Independents. The Slovak prime minister pointed out that the structures of the socialists are "worlds away from our views on the war in Ukraine, migration and sensitive ethical issues". He also hinted that a new leftist faction might be formed in the European Parliament, with Smer-SD and parties with similar stances included in it. mf/df