Watch: Slovak PM Fico delivers first public speech after shooting
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Politics
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Watch: Slovak PM Fico delivers first public speech after shooting

Robert Fico
Source:  Actuality

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first public appearance in two months after the assassination attempt and serious injury.

Points of attention

  • Robert Fico praised Viktor Orbán for his "peacemaking visit" to Kyiv and Moscow and expressed his desire to participate in similar trips.
  • Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyi strongly condemned the attempt on Fico and expressed his support for Slovakia.
  • At the meeting between Putin and Orban in the Kremlin, the situation in Ukraine was brought up for discussion and they declared readiness "for a peaceful settlement" of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Fico praised Orban for his "peacemaking" visit to Kyiv and Moscow

Fico came to Devin Castle in Bratislava on the occasion of the celebration of the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The event took place under strict security conditions. Only invited guests — ministers, deputies, ambassadors, etc. — were allowed into the castle.

There were no opposition representatives at the event, and the public or the media could watch from a nearby hill and listen through a telebridge. Fizo brought a government limousine - the lens managed to capture only how he gets out of the car, there is no record of his arrival or departure from the stage. Immediately after the speech, the prime minister got into a limousine and left the castle.

During the speech, Fizo criticized the "ridiculous" progressive and liberal ideologies, which he said "spread like cancer and are like poison".

I do not want Slovakia to be among the countries that make a caricature of Western civilization.

Robert Fitzo

Robert Fitzo

Prime Minister of Slovakia

In addition, he praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his trips to Kyiv and Moscow. Fizo stated that "if health allowed, I really wanted to join him."

Attempt on Fizo: what is known

On May 15, after the government meeting in the Slovak city of Handlova, an attempt was made on the life of the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. The politician was hospitalized in serious condition due to gunshot wounds.

According to the information of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Slovakia, the perpetrator of the attempt fired five shots at Robert Fico. Slovak police charged 71-year-old Yura K.

The hospital where the Slovak prime minister was hospitalized after receiving injuries said that Fico's condition was "stabilized, but remained very serious."

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyi also reacted to reports of an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of Slovakia. He emphasized that Ukraine "strongly condemns this act of violence against the head of government of our neighboring partner state."

Category
Politics
Publication date

The EU cannot open negotiation clusters with Ukraine — what happened?

Hungary again blocks Ukraine's path to the EU

The European Union is ready to open negotiation clusters with Ukraine, in particular, the first cluster "Fundamentals", but there is a very serious obstacle on this path. As it turned out, the decision cannot be made without unanimous support by all 27 states of the bloc. Currently, it is Hungary that is blocking the start of this process.

Points of attention

  • The Polish Minister for EU Affairs confirms the EU's determination to push forward the enlargement process but acknowledges the current blockage caused by Hungary's stance.
  • Efforts are ongoing within the EU to navigate the obstacle posed by Hungary and advance the negotiation clusters with Ukraine based on merits and evidence rather than political disagreements.

Hungary again blocks Ukraine's path to the EU

A statement on this occasion was made by Polish Minister for EU Affairs Adam Szlapka.

He officially confirmed that Brussels cannot go against Hungary in the current situation.

"You know the political situation in terms of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Hungary. We, as I always say, are determined to push forward the EU enlargement process during the Polish presidency. This is one of our priorities," the Polish minister emphasized.

Adam Shlapka draws attention to the fact that official Brussels is "very resolute" in conducting the screening process of Ukrainian legislation.

According to him, EU members are ready to work on this, but without unanimity it is impossible to move forward.

The European Union authorities are counting on the fact that the opening of clusters in negotiations with Ukraine will be based on achievements and should be based on arguments, not on political conflicts.

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