PS: Fico Knowingly Lying and Misleading about Main Topic of EU Council Summit

Bratislava, 18 December (TASR) - Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is deliberately misleading people and spreading lies in connection with the main topic of the European Council meeting that is taking place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (19 December), Progressive Slovakia (PS) presidium member Ivan Korcok told a press conference on Thursday. The party criticised the prime minister for claiming that further financing of the war in Ukraine is to be discussed. "This isn't about financing the war. It's about how to help our neighbour to continue to defend itself because otherwise it will mean a huge security intervention, but it will also be a direct cut into the wallets of our citizens," emphasised Korcok. According to him, Fico is lying when he claims to support Ukraine in its efforts to become an EU member. "Everyone knows that these are empty words because they are incompatible with the prime minister's statement that Ukraine should capitulate and that the war should end as soon as possible in line with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin's vision," he stated. Korcok believes that if Ukraine stopped fighting and surrendered, it would have enormous economic and financial consequences for Slovakia. He pointed out that Slovakia would have to increase its defence spending many times over, and its investment position and economic development would also deteriorate. He also opined that enormous costs would be needed to deal with the refugee crisis that would be triggered. He criticised the prime minister for concealing such information. am/df