Fico: Attack on European Cultural Identity in Berlin, We Must Defend Ourselves
Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) – The attack on people gathered at a Christmas market in Berlin represents an attack on the cultural identity of Europe, and Slovakia is entitled to adopt counter-measures, said Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday after a session of the National Security Analytical Centre convened in response to the attack.
New heightened security measures were passed at the session. “I consider the measures passed with respect to the migration crisis to be absolutely correct. I’m confident that they’ll turn out to be inevitable within a short time. As long as I’m prime minister, I’ll never consent to the creation of a cohesive Muslim community in Slovakia. The ongoing attacks are also attacks against the EU,” claimed Fico.
According to Fico, Slovakia was receiving intel on the attack only 15 minutes after it took place, and the information has been processed. “We’ve started up all mechanisms linked to threats of a similar type. Today, we assessed what really happened, and detailed some of the measures to be passed in the next few hours and days,” he said.
The fact remains that a migrant came to Germany in February 2016 to receive the status of refugee, and now the same migrant is being questioned as a terror suspect thought responsible for the attack, said Fico, who believes that the stance of EU countries on the migration crisis is bound to change. “Our patience is starting to run thin, and the European public will expect significantly more resolute measures. This is simply crazy,” he added.
Fico voiced the hope that recent events taking place around Slovakia will open the eyes of various Slovak “do-gooders” who are capable of going to great lengths just to prevent the adoption of measures in the fight against terrorism. “I wish people in Slovakia and other countries a peaceful Christmas. This is an extraordinarily delicate time for Europe,” he said.
On Monday (December 19), a lorry ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin’s borough of Charlottenburg, leaving 12 people dead. According to investigators, the man behind the wheel originated from either Pakistan or Afghanistan and was arrested by the police. The attacker allegedly came to Germany as a refugee in February 2016.
