Fico: Time Will Show Who Is Sincere about Social Democratic Values
Bratislava, June 17 (TASR) – I regret that the outgoing members of Smer-SD are talking about a strong social democracy, because it is they who are shattering and weakening it, Smer-SD Chairman Robert Fico wrote on a social network in connection with the announced departure of ten more Smer-SD members, adding that he also regrets that after 20 years in Smer-SD, some can pretend to be new faces.
Fico further said that by talking about a new social democracy they want to cover their selfish goals and confuse the party voters.
“Time will show who is sincere and serious about social democratic values, who was born with them, who shares and feels them. Successful left-wing and social democracy have always been represented by deeds and not words. As chairman of the Smer-SD party, I can proudly say that since I’ve been in politics, I’ve been a convinced leftist and will never succumb to the trends represented by ‘liberal snowflakes’ and neo-liberalism,” said Fico.
Fico added that apart from clichés, he had heard nothing from the outgoing members about the alleged new social democracy. He noted that representatives of what journalists long called the “business wing” of Smer-SD or “children” of (former interior minister) Robert Kalinak also speak of it. As an example, he mentioned former interior minister Denisa Sakova and MP Erik Tomas. “I’m sorry that after 20 years in Smer-SD, some politicians can even pretend to be ‘new faces’ and forget where they came from, what they did and what they promoted,” he said.
A total of ten Smer-SD MPs are set to leave the opposition Smer-SD party along with former premier Peter Pellegrini, including party vice-chairs Richard Rasi and Peter Ziga, member of the party presidium Denisa Sakova and MPs Lubica Lassakova, Jan Ferencak, Matus Sutaj Estok, Peter Kmec, Erik Tomas, Robert Puci and Jan Blchac.
Pellegrini believes that their numbers will grow and that they’ll manage to set up a new party by September. Former premier [2018-20] Peter Pellegrini announced that he’s stepping down as Smer-SD vice-chair and will leave Smer-SD to its “founding father”, chairman Robert Fico.
