Nationalist Robert Fico seals a coalition agreement to form a government in Slovakia | International
Former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico signed a coalition agreement this Monday to form a new government with two other parties, one of them pro-Russian, after the victory of his Smer party in the legislative elections on September 30. It will be the fourth time that the nationalist politician, with a speech favorable to Vladimir Putin, will lead Slovakia, this time with a firm anti-immigration speech and against sending military aid to Ukraine.
Fico, who was last in power in 2018, has signed the agreement with the leader of Voice-Social Democracy, Peter Pellegrini, and the president of the pro-Russian Slovak National Party (SNS), Andrej Danko. Although the three leaders have not given specific details of the ministers who will be part of the future Government, they have determined that the position of prime minister will be for Smer, Fico's party, and that the winning party will have control of six ministries. , with special emphasis on the Foreign, Defense, Finance and Justice portfolio.
The coalition agreement also contemplates that Voz-Socialdemocracy will occupy at least seven portfolios, while SNS will likely keep three: Culture, Environment and Sports and Tourism, as reported by the SITA news agency. Smer, of a populist nature and opposed to sending more aid to Ukraine, will thus preside over a coalition that has 79 of the 150 seats in Parliament and that has sparked discomfort in the European environment. The European Socialist Party (PES) has suspended the party for agreeing with Danko's pro-Russian SNS.
The new government agreement ended the hopes of the liberal opposition to win over Voz-Socialdemocracy – whose third place in the elections made it the decisive factor – as an ally and form an Executive with the progressive Michael Simeka, a liberal MEP, as prime minister. .
Closeness to Viktor Orbán
Smer's leader promised during the election campaign to stop military aid to Ukraine, while taking a hard line on rising irregular migration and rising prices in the country. The new government, which is expected to be close to Viktor Orbán's Hungary, may push the unity of the European Union and NATO to the limit to impose sanctions on Russia.
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The Slovak president, Zuzana Caputova, ordered Fico to form a government after winning the elections. This Monday, she assured that he will take “steps forward” to establish a new Executive, whose ministries have not yet been completely decided. The leader, who does not have a good relationship with Fico, has denounced him for defamation, for accusing her of treason and of being a United States agent.
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