Fico: Opposition Prepares 'Maidan' Coup in Hopes of Early Election

Bratislava, January 21 (TASR) - The Slovak opposition is preparing a 'Maidan' coup and will attempt to initiate early elections in collaboration with foreign actors, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) averred at a joint press briefing with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Bratislava on Tuesday. Fico based this claim on a report by the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), submitted to a special emergency House session originally convened by the opposition to hold a no-confidence motion in the government on Tuesday. "I can't disclose the content of the report, but I can say in all seriousness that the opposition is preparing a 'Maidan', it's gearing up to thwart the government from exercising its powers and this it will do in cooperation with foreign actors," said Fico, adding that the opposition has failed to notice that the "global state of affairs has changed significantly" in the meantime. Fico believes that the opposition will attempt to push Slovakia towards early elections. "Based on some type of event, for instance, if security forces took action against protest activities violating the law," he warned. Opposition politicians called the SIS report absurd, not worthy of its confidential status and containing hoaxes and misinformation that can be easily found circulating online or on social media. In his social media post, Fico sent a message to the opposition that another special emergency House session on the ouster of the government won't happen unless the opposition secures a majority in Parliament. "If you believe that you submit another motion to oust the government tomorrow and expect me to ask the government and the governing coalition to accommodate your whims, then you're dead wrong," he stated. mf/mcs