Fico Criticises Law Enforcement Bodies for Selective Approach

Bratislava, 11 October (TASR) - At the coalition Smer-SD party's working congress held in Bratislava on Saturday, Prime Minister and Smer-SD leader Robert Fico criticised the selective approach of law enforcement authorities in cases involving violations of law by anti-government actors and the abuse of the state's penal policy against the opposition between 2020 and 2023. He proposed that the party's working congress should express regret and astonishment over this situation. "This is perhaps caused by the fact that we don't have the Interior Ministry and maybe we don't have more active people leading the investigators. But if there is evidence, please act on it. After all, nobody wants to lock anyone up, but the horrors that were committed here must come to light," stated Fico, stressing that he would never give instructions to prosecute anyone. He said that Smer-SD could no longer remain silent, adding that "this is hurting us incredibly", especially after taking great pains to say out loud what was going on here between 2020 and 2023. The prime minister also criticised Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka for failing to act after Smer-SD presented evidence of the alleged misuse of state funds at its press conference. "He said he doesn't know about a public criminal complaint, but I know the ex officio principle," stated Fico. As he suggested, the party congress should condemn the practices of anti-government actors spreading a false image of Slovakia. He urged party members not to ignore deceitful opposition tactics and called on them to respond sharply to opposition or media calls for hatred and dehumanisation of Smer voters, including by filing legal submissions. jrg