Smer-SD party celebrated its 25th anniversary

Describing Smer-SD as the most successful political entity in modern Slovak history, its leader and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico reflected on his own political journey in a speech he delivered at a ceremonial congress held in Bratislava on Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of the party's founding. He revealed that before and after the general election in 2020, he considered ending his career but felt compelled to continue due to the events that followed. Fico also added that many expected him to leave the political scene after the assassination attempt on him this May. He considers the assassination attempt to be evidence of a fundamental change in the quality of Slovak politics. In his view, fair democratic competition was lacking in the last electoral term.

Fico outlined his vision for a patriotic, sovereign foreign policy, one that is oriented toward all four cardinal directions. He also addressed the EU's role, disagreeing with its involvement in the Ukraine war. He reiterated his support for peace plans to end the conflict and noted that Smer-SD's membership in the Party of European Socialists remains suspended. "I’m in favor of open discussions with my friends in the Party of European Socialists, but we don't want to stray from the path of social democracy," he added.

Fico's party announced a "substantive conflict" with the so-called mainstream media and foreign-funded NGOs, calling it inevitable, but emphasizing it must be carried out using democratic tools.

Source: TASR