Danko Respects Fico's Decision to Keep Lajcak as Advisor, Won't Attend Sessions

Bratislava, 26 November (TASR) – Chair of the junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko declared that he respects Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) decision to retain former foreign affairs minister (2012-20) Miroslav Lajcak in his team of advisers, but reiterated that he cannot imagine himself setting foot in the Government Office while Lajcak remains an advisor to the prime minister. Danko stated this in a video posted on social media on Wednesday. "The coalition council can meet somewhere other than the Government Office. I will not go to the Government Office," Danko said. He added that Fico, as prime minister, has the right to choose his advisers. "I have no reason to comment further on this matter, because I have clearly said that Miroslav Lajcak is not a threat to me, but to the Prime Minister," Danko concluded. Following Wednesday's away-from-home government session in Vysny Orlik (Presov region), the Prime Minister announced that he would not dismiss Lajcak from his advisory team. According to Fico, he "found nothing that would force him to dismiss Miroslav Lajcak". Recently, both the coalition SNS and opposition representatives have called on Fico to end cooperation with Lajcak over his communication with US financier Jeffrey Epstein. According to opposition MP Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia'–For the People), Fico is failing morally and personally by keeping Lajcak as his adviser. The published documents related to the case of the late US financier, convicted of sexual offences, include email correspondence allegedly exchanged between Lajcak, then serving as foreign affairs minister, and Epstein. Lajcak told TASR that his past communication with the financier was purely a part of his diplomatic duties. mf