PS Criticises Slovakia's Absence from 'Coalition of the Willing' Summit

Bratislava, 7 January (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party has criticised Slovakia's absence from Tuesday's (6 January) summit of the Coalition of the Willing, viewing it as a consequence of the foreign policy pursued by the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), TASR reported on Wednesday based on a statement provided by the party's press department. PS leader Michal Simecka described this as a betrayal of Slovakia's interests, with the country's isolation deepening further, and he also called for an immediate shift in foreign policy. "Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Ukraine, the USA, Canada – 35 countries met in Paris yesterday in support of efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine and thereby strengthen European security. The Coalition of the Willing, that means 35 partners who, despite differing views on many things, still trust each other and want to help one another to ensure that their people can live in safety and prosperity. Thirty-five countries, and which one is missing? - Slovakia. This is the outcome of Fico's 'sovereign' foreign policy in all four cardinal directions," stated Simecka. In this context, the PS leader also warned about Slovakia's isolation. "When you aim in all four directions, you end up standing all by yourself. Or you end up in the East, outside of Europe. Fico is sabotaging and literally betraying Slovak interests. He's been left out in the cold, and we're all paying the price," said Simecka. "A change in foreign policy, along with jump-starting our economy, must be the first thing that we change immediately after winning the [next] parliamentary elections," he added. The leaders of the so-called Coalition of the Willing convened in Paris on Tuesday (6 January). According to their joint statement following the summit, they stand ready to commit themselves to a system of politically and legally binding guarantees that will be activated once a ceasefire with Russia enters into force. jrg/df