SNS Threatens to Quit Coalition Over Ukraine EU Accession Talks

Bratislava, 7 May (TASR) - Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko criticised Prime Minister Robert Fico and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (both Smer-SD) over their stance on Ukraine with respect to talks on Kiev's accession to the European Union. Danko stated that he feared an accelerated entry of Slovakia's eastern neighbour into the EU and opposed what he described as a "symbolic association" with the bloc. In his view, accession talks with Ukraine should only take place after the war on its territory has ended and warned that the issue could ultimately lead to SNS leaving the government coalition. According to Danko, Smer-SD already supports Ukraine's accession to the EU even while the conflict is ongoing. He said he backed negotiations between Ukraine and the EU, but only after the war ends. In his view, this principle is beginning to be violated, creating a risk that the EU could be drawn into a military conflict. "No negotiations with Ukraine should take place while the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation continues, because it endangers us all," Danko declared at a Thursday press conference, adding that Smer-SD is misleading the public on the matter. "They are not telling us the truth that Ukraine will be admitted to negotiations. They are lying when they claim they opposed the loan for Ukraine. Robert Fico has a right to veto and could have blocked the loan just like Viktor Orban. They are also lying when they say they cannot block accession talks," Danko said. "If Ukraine were prematurely admitted to the EU, if the Slovak Republic lost its veto right, or if Robert Kalinak sent our first soldiers to Ukraine during the conflict, we would have to leave this government," the SNS leader warned. Danko believes that Blanar and Fico should block the negotiations, and even the first round of accession talks with Ukraine should not begin without a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Danko added that he supported humanitarian aid for Ukrainians, but criticised Fico for not using his recent telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to ask about the reasons for blocking oil supplies, compensation for damages, and reimbursement of financial aid provided to Ukraine. According to Danko, the prime minister should also have asked Zelenskyy whether Slovakia will be allowed to carry out construction projects or investments in Ukraine after the war. Earlier this week, Danko said SNS planned to seek assurances from the prime minister that he will never vote in favour of Ukraine's accession to the EU during the current electoral term. The party also expressed its "absolute disagreement" with the Slovak prime minister's talks with the Ukrainian president. Earlier in the day, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Rastislav Chovanec told the House European Affairs Committee that the issue of finding a symbolic form of Ukraine's association with the EU has been under discussion for some time. "A group of countries together with the European Commission has now proposed that Ukraine could receive some form of observer status or participate in meetings and negotiations, but without the benefits enjoyed by full members, such as voting rights or access to EU funds," Chovanec said, adding that the proposal is going to be discussed further. "The Slovak Republic has a clear position on this. We support Ukraine's accession to the EU, but through the normal process and after fulfilling all requirements applied to other member states," he added. Fico previously said Ukraine has the right to join the EU once all conditions are met, arguing that this would make Ukraine a stable and secure neighbour. He also said he had opposed a €90 billion war loan for Ukraine and made sure that Slovakia would not participate in it. mf