Fico Declares Support for New Prime Minister, Pledges to Promote Priorities

Bratislava, March 15 (TASR) – Former Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) wants to remain active as Smer-SD chairman in political life and he assures President Andrej Kiska, the Opposition and the public that he’s not going anywhere any time soon, TASR learnt on Thursday.

Fico thanked Kiska for cooperating and congratulated the next Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) on his new tenure, adding that Pellegrini will “have his back”. Fico stressed that his resignation was tendered out of his own free will because an early election would have been a terrible solution. “It would have thrown the country into instability. Just imagine those gentlemen and ladies from the Opposition, I won’t name names, how they would govern,” he claimed.

As former premier, Fico intends to support Pellegrini and promote the priorities of Smer-SD and, in the role as leader of the most popular political party in Slovakia, continue to guarantee Slovakia’s clear pro-European orientation.

“We’ll do our utmost at the Coalition Council, which will convene shortly, to enable the new Prime Minister to bring to Mr. President some proposal as to who could be in the new Government,” said Fico, who called Pellegrini his personal friend and praised his professionalism.

Fico conceded that they had many differences of opinion with Kiska, but pointed out their agreements regarding foreign policy. “I will continue to be politically active. Maybe we’ll see each other at some press conference soon,” he told the journalists.