Bratislava – Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) reportedly failed to secure any advancements for Slovakia’s energy security during the recent extraordinary EU summit. This was the assertion made by representatives of the opposition parties PS, SaS, and Za ľudí on Friday, according to TASR.
At a press conference, opposition leader Michal Šimečka of PS and PS board member Ivan Korčok criticized Fico for not achieving anything beneficial for Slovakia in Brussels, attributing this lack of success to the country’s isolation on the European stage.
“What Robert Fico is trying to portray as a victory is merely a hollow performance aimed at deceiving the public into believing he is a determined negotiator in Brussels. The reality is that the summit’s results are quite embarrassing, as the prime minister was effectively assigned a homework task by 26 of his counterparts, urging him to take action,” said Korčok.
Both Šimečka and Korčok noted that Slovakia’s foreign policy isolation is a key factor. “EU leaders are simply unwilling to support a prime minister who has distanced himself from European unity and engaged with the Russians, consequently pulling Slovakia away from the EU,” emphasized Korčok. The PS party also criticized other aspects of the government’s foreign policy.
Members of the National Council (NR) SR from SaS reiterated during a press briefing on Friday that Fico failed to negotiate any significant terms regarding gas transit at the EU summit, cautioning that Slovakia risks becoming unreliable to its closest allies.
“Significant historical discussions are taking place in Brussels these days, with decisions being made that will shape Europe’s security and bolster support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, all while keeping the conflict distant from the Schengen border. And what is Fico doing at this critical juncture? He is disseminating populist fabrications to his constituents. He pretends to be negotiating the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, yet all he accomplishes is a tacit agreement to engage in polite discussions with Ukraine, avoiding any disruption to the real leaders working to safeguard Europe,” remarked NR SR MP Vladimíra Marcinková (SaS).
Veronika Remišová, chairwoman of the Za ľudí party, echoed this sentiment, stating that the prime minister essentially left the summit empty-handed.
“He received only one directive: that he himself must put in more effort regarding gas transit. This assignment seems fair, as citizens are questioning why he publicly laments instead of securing tangible benefits for Slovakia,” she added.
An extraordinary EU summit focused on support for Ukraine and European defense was held in Brussels on Thursday, March 6. The concluding text indicated a need for collaboration involving the European Commission, Ukraine, and Slovakia to find a solution for restoring gas transit through Ukraine. Following the summit, Fico claimed that EU member states acknowledged the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine as a “problem that threatens the entire EU.” (March 7)
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