Fico defends Moscow visit amid EU criticism from Kallas
"As a high-ranking official of the European Commission, you have absolutely no authority to criticize the sovereign Prime Minister of a sovereign country," replied Robert Fico to the EU's head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas.
Kaja Kallas, the head of EU diplomacy, sharply criticised European politicians who attended the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. "Fico stands shoulder to shoulder with the man who started this war," said Kallas. "It's incomprehensible. You stand on the wrong side of history."
The EU's chief diplomat was referring to the attendance of Slovakia's prime minister at the Moscow parade commemorating the end of the Second World War.
Fico addressed her remarks in a statement published on social media.
Fico responds to Kallas's words
"Dear Kaja, once again I have taken note of your statements directed at me in connection with today’s visit to Moscow and the announced meeting not only with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. You claim that I am supposedly not on the right side of history, or make other similarly profound geopolitical remarks," wrote the Slovak prime minister.
"First, I am in Moscow to pay tribute to more than 60,000 soldiers of the Red Army who died while liberating Slovakia. I do not see what these brave individuals have to do with the current international situation," he pointed out.
"Second, as a high-ranking official of the European Commission, you have absolutely no authority to criticize the sovereign Prime Minister of a sovereign country who approaches all European matters constructively," he noted.
"Third, I disagree with the policy of a new Iron Curtain, which you are working on so intensively," he emphasised.
"Fourth, I ask you: how can diplomacy and foreign policy be conducted if politicians are not supposed to meet and engage in normal dialogue on issues where they hold differing views?" he added.
