The Slovak prime minister added that “the absolute majority of the EU member states with the exception of Slovakia and Hungary have endorsed the idea that the war in Ukraine should be used to weaken Russia politically and economically.”
In Slovakia, the Fico government’s pro-Moscow and anti-EU policies have fueled a wave of protests that have spread to more than 50 cities and smaller towns, mostly in support of the country’s continued Western orientation. On Feb. 21, the crowds had another reason to return to the streets: the seventh anniversary of the murders of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová.
‘Our guys’ system
“The main architect of the ‘our guys’ system [a metaphor for corruption] is back in power,” said Ján’s father, Jozef Kuciak, to a crowd of about 10,000 in the capital Bratislava, referring to Fico. “It’s up to us to decide what is more important, freedom or passivity.”
Hours later in Washington, Fico blamed the European Union for “pushing themselves to the U.S.-Russian peace negotiating table even though for three years now they have and do openly support the war in Ukraine.”
Fico added that “President Zelenskyy actually needs this war. When there is war there cannot be democratic elections … When there is a war it is difficult to investigate where a huge part of the funding given to Ukraine ended up.”
In closing, Fico praised Trump’s MAGA movement, saying it represents “a vision that resonates urgently not only in the United States but across the world.”
“I appreciate President Donald Trump’s pragmatic approach and his clear focus on American national interests,” the Slovak leader said. “This is exactly what each and every one of us should be doing.”