Party of European Socialists Fully Expels Smer-SD

Amsterdam/Bratislava, 17 October (TASR) - The Party of European Socialists (PES) at its congress in Amsterdam on Friday decided to fully expel Slovak political party Smer-SD and Premier Robert Fico from its ranks, TASR has reported. PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck before the vote said that the actions of Smer-SD in recent years have been "grossly and strongly contrary to the values ​​and principles of our family". The decision of PES members was unanimous. The recent Smer-SD working congress took note of information about the proposal to expel it from the ranks of the European socialists, describing it as the result of the Slovak party's gradual distancing from ideas in Brussels. The Slovak premier said last week that he had a phone call with PES chairman Stefan Lofven, who voiced the reservations of several party members. For example, some PES members were concerned at Fico's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his visits to Moscow and Beijing to celebrate the anniversary of the end of WWII there. Smer at its working congress tasked its MEPs with negotiating the party's inclusion in another existing or newly formed faction in the European Parliament. Until now, the MEPs have been operating as non-aligned members. "We've had an offer from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) faction for a long time, which I personally prefer," MEP Monika Benova (Smer-SD) told TASR. Benova quit the European Socialists faction on her own in October 2023 after the PES presidium decided to suspend Smer's membership. Benova added that her colleagues are also holding talks on the potential forming of a new faction, but she's "rather sceptical" about it. She thinks that the party as a whole should have left PES earlier. Smer-SD's membership of PES has been suspended until now. The European party's presidium in October 2023 decided on the suspension "after Smer-SD moved away from the values ​​of the leftist grouping and formed a governing coalition with the Slovak National Party". ko/df