Sutaj Estok Welcomes Premier's Visit to USA, while Korcok Lacks His Positions

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', 18 January) Speaking on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) said that he welcomes Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) visit to the USA, however, he dislikes the US actions in Venezuela and President Donald Trump's efforts to get control of Greenland. Progressive Slovakia (PS) presidium member Ivan Korcok, also on the show, criticised Slovakia's friendliness towards the USA and Russia. He thinks that the premier is giving the worst signal about the unprecedented events we're witnessing in the world. "I don't feel that there's a country in the world that would be an enemy to us," stated Sutaj Estok, denying that the USA or Russia would be Slovakia's enemies. According to Sutaj Estok, international politics has been developing in an incredible direction and pace, so it's necessary to hold talks and seek allies. He reiterated that they want to have good relations with all countries, including the USA. He stressed the importance of defending Slovakia's interests and pursuing a sovereign foreign policy in all the four cardinal directions. He has no doubt that Slovakia continues to be a respected partner. Sutaj Estok has rejected Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko's claims that the premier would decide to conclude an agreement on nuclear cooperation [with the USA] without coalition partners. He argued that the government members knew about it, including those for the coalition SNS. Korcok said that although the coalition and the opposition have the same opinion on what's happening in the world, they have different opinions on how Slovakia should react and respond [to them]. According to him, the premier is trying to show through one photo from the USA that his policy in all the four cardinal directions works. "We are witnessing unprecedented events," stressed Korcok, speaking of the premier's servile smile, while he lacks the premier's position on the trade war and tariffs in connection with Greenland. He doesn't like the fact that the wording of the signed memorandum is still unknown. Korcok finds a united and strong EU to be the most important card in Slovakia's hands. However, it's just the disunity, also due to Slovakia, that is the problem. He claims that Slovakia is on the wrong side and that "nobody takes its diplomacy seriously". He doesn't view Trump's proposal regarding tariffs as feasible, adding that the answer should be the member states' reciprocal policy. Sutaj Estok refused to comment on opinion polls, viewing them irrelevant. However, he's admitted that he made many mistakes, too. Him and Korcok concurred that they couldn't imagine mutual post-election cooperation. ko