Slovak PM's controversial remarks spark protests over Ukraine stance
Pro-Russian Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico criticized Ukraine as an unreliable partner and expressed his frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's travels across Europe, accusing him of "begging" and "blackmailing others."
According to "European Truth," Fico made these remarks during a speech at a parliamentary committee meeting on Friday.
Scandalous remarks by Fico about Zelensky
The committee meeting was convened by the opposition, which demanded explanations from Fico regarding his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and information about Slovakia's future actions following the disruption of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.
Fico stated that two solutions had been developed concerning the gas transit from Ukraine to Slovakia, which were allegedly agreed upon with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
One proposed solution was an agreement between Russia and Azerbaijan to ensure the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Slovakia. However, according to Fico, Volodymyr Zelensky blocked this agreement.
The second solution involved the proposal for the parent company of SPP to create a subsidiary at the Russian-Ukrainian border so that Slovak gas could be transported through Ukraine to Slovakia.
Fico criticized the Ukrainian president as unreliable and admitted that he often he's "fed up with him."
- He [Zelenskyy] goes around Europe, just begging and blackmailing others, asking for money. It just has to stop, - said the Slovak Prime Minister. At the same time, he declared that Russia has always been a reliable partner when it comes to energy supplies.
- Russia has never deceived us, unlike Ukraine. I remember the situation in 2009 when I was in Ukraine and appealed to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for some gas from the storage facilities they have in the western part of Ukraine. The response was that they sent me to hell. That's typical Ukrainians, - complained Fico.
Meanwhile, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini announced that he is canceling his official visit to Kyiv due to the halt of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.
Additionally, in connection with the halt of gas transit, Fico presented a list of threats to Kyiv, including the threat to veto EU decisions concerning Ukraine.
Protests in Slovakia against Fico
On Friday, over 15,000 people protested in front of the Slovak government headquarters. Demonstrators demanded that Prime Minister Robert Fico stop collaborating with Russia and change the direction of foreign policy.
The protest began with an air raid alarm, serving as a reminder of the ongoing war in Ukraine. An open letter was also read, which was simultaneously presented in 13 other cities in Slovakia. The letter stated, among other things, that freedom, independence, and democratic values are threatened in the country. According to the protesters, the ruling coalition under Robert Fico's leadership is weakening alliances with the EU and NATO.
The letter also reiterated the protest slogan: "We are Slovakia. We are Europe."
