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☆ Who is Robert Fico, the Slovakian Prime Minister?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | More About Matthew Mpoke Bigg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert Fico, 59, has played a pivotal role in Slovakian politics in the years since it gained independence in 1993 and has served as prime minister longer than any other leader. The country gained independence amid the so-called Velvet Revolution, a series of popular and nonviolent protests against the Communist Party in what was at that time still Czechoslovakia. Mr. Fico, who had been a Communist Party member while it was in power, founded the Smer party in the late 1990s and began the first of his three terms as prime minister in 2006. The Smer party, which started out on the political left but has increasingly embraced right-wing views on immigration and cultural issues, has always governed as part of a coalition. Much of the international focus on Mr. Fico’s leadership in recent years has focused on his ties to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and to Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, Slovakia’s southern neighbor.

Persons: Robert Fico, Fico, Vladimir Putin of, Viktor Orban of Hungary Organizations: Communist Party Locations: Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Vladimir Putin of Russia

☆ Slovaks Vote in Presidential Election That Might Bolster PM Fico
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Slovaks vote in a presidential election on Saturday that could strengthen Prime Minister Robert Fico's grip on power as he seeks more control over public media, softer anti-corruption laws and a dissenting voice to EU support for Ukraine. Polls are open in the first round of voting from 7:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) until 10:00 p.m. (2100 GMT). A run-off between the top two candidates is due on April 6 if no one wins a majority this weekend. Pellegrini, a former prime minister and member of Fico's leftist, ruling SMER party and now the head of junior coalition partner HLAS, is hoping to duplicate that success. Caputova won the last presidential election in 2019, riding an anti-corruption wave aimed at Fico's party, which was in power then.

Persons: Robert Fico's, Fico's, Peter Pellegrini, Zuzana Caputova, Fico, Pellegrini, HLAS, Ivan Korcok, Caputova, Korcok, Jason Hovet, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Reuters, Ukraine, EU, Constitutional, RTVS Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Kyiv, Prague

☆ Slovak Parliament Chief Confirms Presidential Bid, Facing Ex-Foreign Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Jason Hovet(Reuters) - Slovak parliament chief Peter Pellegrini, leader of the second-biggest party in the government coalition, confirmed on Friday that he would run in a March presidential election. Pellegrini, a prime minister in 2018-2020 and former member of Fico's SMER party, has seen a shrinking poll lead against his closest contender - Ivan Korcok, who was foreign minister in a previous government led by opposition forces. A second round in the likely case that no candidate wins an outright majority is on April 6. Pellegrini leads Korcok 40.6% to 37.7% in an AKO agency poll released on Thursday. Pellegrini led the government until anti-corruption parties won a 2020 election.

Persons: Jason Hovet, Peter Pellegrini, Robert Fico, Pellegrini, Fico's, Ivan Korcok, Zuzana Caputova, Korcok, Fico, Hugh Lawson Organizations: European Union Locations: Korcok, AKO, Prague

His party more than doubled in size in parliament to tower over mainstream parties that long specialized in marginalizing him. Suddenly on Thursday, there was hope in the air again for nationalist conservative populists, especially with an European Parliament election coming up in June. Earlier, Slovakia had already turned populist with Robert Fico’s Smer party winning a general election and setting up a coalition government with an ultranationalist party. Wilders calls for a “Nexit” referendum — a Dutch version of Brexit which saw the United Kingdom leave the EU. By nature, Dutch politics rely on coalitions between several parties and no other suitable party has followed Wilders on that.

Persons: Geert Wilders, firebrand Wilders, “, Alice Weidel, Wilders, Robert Fico’s Smer, Viktor Orbán, behemoth, Le Pen, ”, Hendrik Vos, Vos, Matteo Salvini Organizations: Party for Freedom, Law, European Union, EU, France, Inter, Ghent University, League Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungarian, France, United Kingdom, Italian, Italy

☆ Slovakia's New PM Fico Stops Talking to Some Media Amid Rift
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stopped communication with four leading domestic news outlets on Monday after accusing them of failing to provide truthful information, widening a rift with some independent media groups. Fico became prime minister for a fourth time last month at the head of a leftist-nationalist coalition after an election in which he attacked liberal policies, Slovakia's Western allies and media that is critical of him and his SMER party. "As long as the cited media outlets do not begin to fulfil their legal obligations, Prime Minister R. Fico is interrupting any communication with them," the government office said in an emailed statement. While he had not barred journalists, halting communication contravened laws ensuring that media are kept informed by the authorities, he added. Pavol Szalai of Reporters Without Borders said Fico was subjecting Slovakia's democracy to a "crash test".

Persons: Robert Fico, Fico, Jan Kuciak, Kuciak, R, Dennik, Matus Kostolny, Kostolny, Beata Balogova, Jason Hovet, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, Slovak, TV, Facebook, Borders, Government

☆ Slovakia's SMER party to sign agreement on forming new government on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SMER-SSD party leader Robert Fico arrives to the party's headquarters, after the country's early parliamentary elections, in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Eva Kornikova/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 16 (Reuters) - Slovakia's former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his SMER-SSD party will sign a coalition agreement to form a new government with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties on Monday, SMER said. Fico, a three-time prime minister, won an election on Sept. 30 with pledges to halt military aid to Ukraine and criticism of sanctions on Russia. He struck a deal with the coalition parties last week and is expected to lead a new government. The coalition agreement was set to be signed at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT).

Persons: Robert Fico, Eva Kornikova, SMER, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, SNS, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Prague

☆ Slovakia's SMER Party to Sign Agreement on Forming New Government on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

(Reuters) - Slovakia's former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his SMER-SSD party will sign a coalition agreement to form a new government with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties on Monday, SMER said. Fico, a three-time prime minister, won an election on Sept. 30 with pledges to halt military aid to Ukraine and criticism of sanctions on Russia. He struck a deal with the coalition parties last week and is expected to lead a new government. The coalition agreement was set to be signed at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT). The parties are seeking to have an administration in place ahead of a European Union summit on Oct. 26-27 where Ukraine will be high on the agenda.

Persons: Robert Fico, SMER, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson Organizations: Reuters, SNS Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Prague

☆ Opinion: The US Congress, Slovakian voters just threw Ukraine under the bus
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

David A. Andelman CNNBoth appear to have thrown Ukraine and its war with Russia under the bus. Nationwide, Fico himself was the largest single vote-getter, while three of the top five are members of his anti-Ukraine party. They said they’re going to support Ukraine in a separate vote,” Biden said. Only 52% of French voters and 49% of German voters are in favor of offering EU membership to Ukraine. Quick action by Congress is needed to stem further erosion — or even the possible collapse — of determined support for Ukraine across the western democracies.

Persons: David A, CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Robert Fico, Fico, Michal Šimečka, Volodymyr Zelensky, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin —, Zelensky, Joe Biden, Republicans –, ” Biden, “, Viktor Orban, “ Guess, ” Orban, Tomas Benedikovic, ” Fico, Orban —, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Poland’s, Donald Tusk, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin, Marine Le, Turkey, Hungary’s Orban, Slovakia’s Fico, waffling Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, Russian, Russia, Nationwide, Ukraine Progresivne, Ukraine, United Nations General Assembly, Republicans, Putin, Slovak, Getty, European Union, NATO, Law, Justice Party, Polsat, European Council, Social Democratic, National Rally, Kremlin, Congress Locations: Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Fico, Washington, New York, Bratislava, Hungary, AFP, Luhansk, Poland, Europe, Germany, France, Sweden, United States

☆ Republican blockade of Ukraine aid and Slovakia’s election play into Putin’s hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Fico anchored his campaign on his anti-US rhetoric, vows to stop sending weapons to Ukraine and a pledge to thwart Kyiv’s NATO ambitions. The GOP tide against Ukraine gathers strengthZelensky’s visit to Washington to shore up Ukraine aid last month looks prescient. At Republican campaign events, voters often voice antipathy to sending billions of dollars to Ukraine, and polls show rising public skepticism. Still, for now, there is a bipartisan Washington majority in favor of Ukraine aid, although the chaos in the GOP raises questions about how it will be delivered. So we’ve got to find a way that we can do this together.”But if McCarthy is toppled and replaced by a more radical speaker, Ukraine could run out of luck.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy didn’t, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, McCarthy, Robert Fico’s, Fico, –, Putin, Donald Trump, Fico’s, Trump, embolden Putin, “ Putin, Mike Quigley, “, ”, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, “ Joe Biden, Dmytro Kuleba, ” Kuleba, “ They’re, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Russia, Ukraine, Republican, NATO, Ukraine –, Kyiv, Brexit, “, Soviet MiG, European Union, GOP, Democratic, Illinois, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Democrat, Rep, Trump Georgia Rep, Foreign, CBS, Trump Locations: Ukraine, Slovakia, US, Poland, Warsaw, Western, Kyiv, France, Germany, “ Slovakia, Slovakian, Russia, Soviet, United States, Turkey, Sweden, Moscow, Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, Bratislava, Washington, Biden’s, Florida, ” Ukraine

According to preliminary results released by Slovakia’s Statistical Office at 6 a.m. local time, Robert Fico’s populist SMER party won 23.3% of the vote. While in opposition, Fico became a close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, especially when it came to criticism of the European Union. Fico previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister for more than a decade, first between 2006 and 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018. Kuciak reported on corruption among the country’s elite, including people directly connected to Fico and his party SMER. In the Czech Republic, which used to form one country with Slovakia, 71% of people blame Russia for the war.

Persons: Robert Fico’s, Fico, upend, Peter Pellegrini, Hlas, ”, Pellegrini, Slovakia “, “, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Victor Orban, Orban, Jan Kuciak, Martina Kušnírová, Kuciak, Věra Jourová, GlobSec, – Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, NATO, Slovakia’s, SMER, Progressive, Ukrainian, Ukraine, European Union, Russia, Hungary’s, European, Justice, Kyiv Locations: Slovakia, Ukraine, Progressive Slovakia, Slovak, Kyiv, Brussels, Russia, Bratislava, Baltic, Czech Republic, States

☆ Slovakia's election could turn Ukraine's stanchest supporter into a Kremlin ally
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The frontrunner, former Prime Minister Robert Fico, has made no secret of his affinity for the Kremlin during the election campaign. Fico’s left-wing populist SMER party has been leading for months, although opinion polls published earlier this week showed SMER neck-and-neck with the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party. “The approach to Russian war in Ukraine is a divisive line (in the election),” she said. It is also far from certain that the leader of the biggest party will become the prime minister. While in opposition, Fico has also become a close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, especially when it comes to criticism of the European Union.

Persons: Robert Fico, Slovakia’s, Zuzana Čaputová, Fico’s, Michal Šimečka, Věra Jourová, ”, Peter Pellegrini, Pellegrini, Fico, Ján Kuciak, Martina Kušnírová, Russia ”, OLaNO, Kyiv’s, “, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Victor Orban, Orban Organizations: CNN, European Union, Kremlin, NATO, Progressive, EU, Kyiv, West ., “, Coalition, Republika, Russia, ”, and Solidarity Party, Independent, Ukraine Fico, Hungary’s, Justice Locations: Ukraine, NATO, American, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia, “ Slovakia, Russia, Russian, Brussels

☆ Opinion: Ukraine’s bumpy road ahead just got rockier
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

David A. Andelman David AndelmanThat is the clearest and most present danger to the security of Europe and the entire Western alliance. Fissures are appearing across the hitherto united Western front that can only be sending shivers of joy up Putin’s spine. Putin quite rightly appreciated the stakes — and the opportunity — when he first launched his heartless blockade of Ukraine’s grain, grain that helps feed not only Europe but also vast stretches of Africa now plunged into the threat of devastating hunger. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the UN General Assembly last week in New York City. The EU is weighing up a mammoth four-year, 20 billion euro ($21.3 billion) fund to finance weapons purchases for Ukraine.

Persons: David A, David Andelman, Vladimir Putin, shivers, Putin, Hungary —, Volodymyr Zelensky, Bryan R, Smith, hasn’t, ”, Mateusz Morawiecki, Andrzej Duda, Robert Fico, Fico, Olaf Scholz, —, Mitch McConnell, “, ” Robert I, Harvard Kennedy Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, America, Republicans, NATO, European Union, UN, Assembly, Getty, Smer Party, ”, World Trade Organization, Ukraine, North, Times, Harvard Kennedy School’s Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Africa, Poland, Slovakia, Bialobrzegi, Warsaw, Hungary, New York City, AFP, New York, Moscow, ” Polish, Banovce nad Bebravou, ” Ukraine, EU, Russia, North Korea, Zelensky, London, America, China, ” China

☆ Slovak prime minister starts new pro-Western party for Sept election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 7 (Reuters) - Slovak caretaker Prime Minister Eduard Heger launched a new pro-Western, liberal centrist party named the Democrats on Tuesday to run in a September election called after his coalition fell from power last year. Heger said pro-Western democratic values and aid to neighbouring Ukraine were the cornerstones of his agenda. Heger said he would not cooperate with far-right nationalists, like Fico's Smer (Direction) nor the Hlas (Voice) party, which itself split from Smer on a more pro-Western platform and now leads opinion polls. Four ministers from the current government, including Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad, have joined Heger's new outfit. Under Heger's leadership, Slovakia shipped military equipment to Ukraine including the S-300 air defence system, and allowed hundreds of thousands refugees across the border after Russia's invasion of Ukraine started in February 2024.

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