Fico: If EU Doesn't Respect Sovereignty of Its States, It Will "Croak It"

Bratislava, 11 December (TASR) – The European Union will "croak it" if it doesn't respect sovereign policy, traditions and historical roots, declared Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) in Parliament during Question Time on Thursday. Fico made the remark when answering a question on how he assesses the new US National Security Strategy. According to Fico, the US strategy states that the EU is abandoning its fundamental values and its leadership, a view that Fico agrees with. "Can we be angry at the vice-president of the United States, who said the EU is absolutely abandoning its traditions? We cannot, he's absolutely right. If the EU continues in this way and doesn't respect sovereign policy, traditions and historical roots, it will croak it. And if it is to kick the bucket, let it kick the bucket," stated Fico. The prime minister said that Slovakia will stand by its positions, traditions and the fact that "one plus one is two", referring to the amendment to the Slovak Constitution that enshrined the existence of two genders. In this context, he said that Smer-SD had a dispute with the Party of European Socialists over this constitutional change. Fico added that the new US security strategy is about values. "It is a completely new view of Europe and the European Union by the United States. The document repeatedly states that the EU is abandoning its basic values, lacks leadership and is losing its standing internationally," said the prime minister, adding that this is a view "we have long preferred". mf/df