PS: Gov't Demolishing Diplomatic Relations Built Up by Slovakia over 30 Years

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and the current government are destroying the diplomatic relations that Slovakia has been building up for the past three decades, representatives of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party told a news conference on Monday in reaction to Fico's trip to Moscow last week for celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. The party has called on the premier to hold talks with key partners and allies as well in the upcoming months. PS leader Michal Simecka thinks that the premier's trip to Moscow was shameful and damaged Slovakia's interests, and he called Fico a prime minister of war. "While European leaders held talks about peace in Kiev, with a proposal for a ceasefire coming out of these talks, the premier celebrated war, posing for photos with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and other dictators," stated Simecka. Former diplomat and PS leadership member Ivan Korcok claimed that the government with its actions is damaging Slovakia's international reputation and destroying diplomatic relations that have been built up over 30 years, including relations with the country's neighbours. He criticised Robert Fico for meeting Vladimir Putin and representatives of China and Vietnam in Moscow, and he called on the premier to hold talks in the upcoming months with representatives of the European Union and NATO, who are crucial to Slovakia's interests. "We are giving you six months for bilateral meetings with the French president, the new German chancellor, the Polish prime minister, the British premier and others. "What was possible in six hours with dictators, we believe will be possible in six months with those who are important to Slovakia," stated Korcok. PS pointed out that it isn't yet known whether the premier's trip to Moscow was approved by the government at its session. He noted that several representatives of the coalition Voice-SD party spoke of it as a private journey or a trip by the Smer-SD party chair. "Either the premier travelled to Moscow without having a government mandate, or it was approved by the government, in which case they are tripping over their own words," said Simecka, adding that if the premier travelled to Moscow without a government mandate, he or his party should cover the cost of the trip. Fico took part in the celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Moscow on Friday (May 9). He had already announced in advance that he wanted to pay tribute to the thousands of Red Army soldiers who were killed while liberating Slovakia, as well as to the millions of other victims of the "Nazi rampage." On Sunday (May 11), the premier stated that he stands behind what he said, i.e. that the trip had a serious moral basis and was a significant diplomatic success. He mentioned bilateral talks with the heads of state of Russia, China and Brazil. ko/df