PM Fico: EU Has Power to Act against Violations of International Law

Bratislava, 4 January (TASR) - The European Union has the power to do something in order to remedy the violation of international law in the case of Venezuela, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated in a video posted on a social network on Sunday, adding that there's not much Slovakia can do besides expressing its clear positions. "In terms of population, the EU is substantially larger than the United States. It's also extremely strong economically. If it were to use this potential properly, its voice would be very strong and would in many cases help to remedy the blatant ignoring of international law," said Fico, adding that firm stances could have a strong preventive effect and deter those "tempted by adventures on the international stage". He stated that he's been calling for many years for the EU to pursue its own foreign policy and break free from U.S. influence. Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, relations between the EU and the United States shouldn't have been based on superiority and inferiority, but on mutually beneficial cooperation. "The EU's foreign policy is only dominated by hatred and weakness. Towards Russia, which faces incredible and incomprehensible hatred on the part of EU institutions, the EU is capable of going to the brink in its anti-Russian positions, as seen with the approved war loan," said Fico. He said the EU can be strong while remaining truly democratic and fair. "Today, however, the EU doesn't meet these criteria due to its own fault", he added. Nonetheless, Fico thinks the EU still has a chance to come to its senses and become a true world power. "The EU is our living space. In my capacity as prime minister of a small country, I'll do everything in practical politics to ensure the EU's credibility and ability to act are not further undermined," stated Fico. According to him, the EU also applies double standards to countries interested in joining it. "We are unable to tolerate sovereign national policies or a different sovereign opinion. If, in some countries' elections, the winner is someone who wasn't supposed to win, this immediately triggers a mechanism for questioning the election result," added Fico. jrg