Premier: Trip to US in Line with Slovakia's Sovereign Foreign Policy

       Washington, 16 January (TASR) - My working trip to the USA is fully in line with Slovakia's sovereign foreign policy, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) posted on social media from Washington DC on Friday in response to critical comments from the opposition.
        According to him, Slovakia needs new sources of electricity production. "From our own experience, we can confirm that ambitious climate targets and increasing energy needs can't be met without nuclear energy. After good experience with the Russians, we're diversifying and are interested in building a new nuclear unit in Jaslovske Bohunice [Trnava region] in cooperation with American partners," he stated.
        "That's why we intend to sign a framework agreement between the governments of the USA and Slovakia today. Only after this agreement has been signed can we begin to discuss specific cooperation between Slovakia and American and other companies in constructing a new nuclear power plant," he wrote.
        The prime minister went on to say that he doesn't want to give the same impression as German politicians who, in the name of "ideological green madness", first shut down all nuclear power sources, only for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to now speak of a huge mistake. "Back in 2008, my government made the right decision, despite enormous resistance in the EU, to complete the third and fourth units of the Mochovce nuclear power plant [Nitra region]," he emphasised.
        "If my visit to the USA includes a meeting with US President Donald Trump, I can only welcome it. I've already become used to being labelled a Russian and Chinese agent after important meetings with the Russian and Chinese presidents, so I'm not surprised that the opposition and the media are now accusing me of being an American agent. This is quite picturesque, because we're in NATO along with the USA. I have been, am, and will continue to be only an agent of the Slovak Republic; nothing else matters to me," stressed Fico.
        The premier stated that he's appalled by the rhetoric of the "anti-Slovak" opposition and media, which is a "mixture of madness, hatred, and ignorance". In his opinion, it should be an honour for any prime minister of a small country to have the opportunity to negotiate with world leaders and obtain information that the "anti-Slovak opposition will never get because of its stupidity".
        "I've heard that the opposition wants to convene a extraordinary parliamentary economic committee session because of the trip to the USA and the plan to build a new nuclear power plant. This is pure desperation. But if they want to negotiate, let them put as the first item on the agenda how they helped a strategic aluminium producer in Ziar nad Hronom [Banska Bystrica region] into the grave in 2020-2023," he stated.
        Fico added that "only a fool wouldn't take advantage of the readiness of the site in Jaslovske Bohunice to construct a new nuclear unit". "We have an EIA, we have a building permit, while obtaining these permits alone would take a decade. Even the most vocal opponents know that, given current European electricity prices, a nuclear power plant is literally a money-making machine and will easily earn money for its construction costs. So let the dogs bark, the caravan moves on," added the prime minister.
        Representatives of the opposition Progressive Slovakia party have said that they'll try to convene an extraordinary meeting of the House economic affairs committee to discuss the results of Fico's working visit to the USA, which he's attending alongside Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD). An agreement between the Slovak and US governments on cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy will be signed during the visit.