Fico Planning to Visit Moscow Again in May as Well as Normandy in June

Bratislava, 16 March (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) will visit Moscow again in May to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, probably attending the celebrations on 9 May, according to the premier's speech at the weekend at an event called 'School of Social Democracy'. Fico also announced a visit to Normandy in June. "Just as I'll participate in the celebrations of the victory over fascism in Moscow on 9 May, I'll also take part on 6 June in a ceremony to thank the soldiers who, as part of the Second Front in Normandy in 1944, entered French territory," he stated, adding that it's also necessary to take unconventional steps. According to him, these are important milestones. Meanwhile, he stated that the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius was also a political milestone for Slovakia, as the Slovak Constitution is based on their message. Fico was the only leader from the European Union to attend the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe in Moscow on 9 May of last year. Before the military parade he met briefly with Russian President Vladimir Putin and also spoke to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. He honoured the memory of those who fell in battle by laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden near the Kremlin walls. Fico's visit, which took place at a time when Russia had been waging war against Ukraine for more than three years, was criticised by a number of European officials. am/df