Premier Fico Lays Wreath at Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow (2)

Moscow, 8 May (TASR) - Shortly after arriving in Moscow on Friday to attend the Victory Day celebrations, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden, near the Kremlin walls, TASR learnt on Friday. Fico cited as the main reason for his visit "the fact that it was the peoples of the former Soviet Union, and particularly today's Russian Federation, who paid the highest price in the fight against fascism and in World War II". He also wanted to pay his respects to the Red Army soldiers who fell during the liberation of Slovakia. The prime minister promised that his government will "pay close attention to the protection and maintenance of military cemeteries in Slovakia". "For example, we've recently renovated a military cemetery in the town of Michalovce [Kosice region]. And I also plan to visit this site again," he added. Fico subsequently described himself as a politician who prioritises dialogue over strong words. "I care about normal, friendly, and standard relations between the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic," he stated, noting that he'd also like to discuss this with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. The prime minister claims he is the black sheep of the European Union. "I'm opposed to the idea of a single, mandatory viewpoint. I believe that such an approach is deeply flawed. And I often express opinions that don't align with this single 'correct' political stance that we are supposed to hold. Sometimes I even argue over historical facts," he explained. According to Fico, several European politicians were interested in his trip to Moscow. "The key word is dialogue. We must talk and meet. I'm an absolute advocate of any form of truce. I think it is a hundred times more sensible to wage that battle at the negotiating table. I want to express my conviction that we are nearing the end of the Russian-Ukrainian story," the prime minister replied when asked what the main message he wanted to convey to Putin was. Fico told reporters that he has so far only spoken by phone with the likely future Hungarian prime minister, Peter Magyar, and is waiting until he's officially appointed to the post. They agreed to meet in person for the first time at the European Council meeting in Brussels. "We'll agree on the first steps, because we're neighbours. This is extremely serious. I want to have friendly, good relations with our neighbours. I don't know Mr. Magyar personally, but it's my duty to find a way to approach him so that relations between Slovakia and Hungary are of the same quality as they were under Viktor Orban," said Fico. According to the Slovak prime minister, history is being distorted in European countries, and there is a lack of respect for the events of World War II. "I don't think there's another nation in the world that has been so immersed in and truly felt what happened between 1941-1945; I wish the Russian people to keep this feeling, so that what commonly happens in European countries - where basic historical facts are routinely distorted and there's a lack of respect for what happened from 1941 to 1945 - never happens here," he added. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final three paragraphs. am