The leader of the pro-Russian party “Smer” Robert Fico became the prime minister of Slovakia

Robert Fico became the prime minister of Slovakia. This is his fourth time.

The Slovak publication "Pravda" writes about it.

He presented President Zuzana Chaputova with a proposal to appoint a government. However, the appointment of the new government of Robert Fico had to be postponed due to the debate on the election of the new Speaker of the Parliament.

Earlier, the parties "Course — Social Democracy" (Smer), "Holos" (Hlas) and the Slovak National Party (SNS) signed an agreement on the coalition and redistribution of positions in the government, and also confirmed Slovakiaʼs foreign policy orientation towards NATO and the European Union.

Why is this important?

In Slovakia, the pro-Russian Smer party led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico won the early parliamentary elections on October 30. In the election campaign, he promised to end military aid to Ukraine, criticized sanctions against the Russian Federation, called for negotiations between the countries, opposed LGBT rights and defended the countryʼs right to veto in the EU. His rhetoric is similar to that of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. According to the form of government, the country is a parliamentary republic, so support for Ukraine does not depend on the decisions of the president.

• The Slovak publication "Dennik N" wrote that after the victory of Smer in the parliamentary elections, the President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputova opposed the new package of military aid to Ukraine. Subsequently, she stated that her country should continue to provide military aid to Ukraine. At the same time, she noted that she respects the results of the parliamentary elections and the point of view of the party negotiating the formation of a new government. On October 7, the media reported that Slovakia was ending military aid to Ukraine.