Europe should not allow itself to be fooled: Robert Fico is not a democrat.
Photo: AP Photo
The fight against corruption is something that really bothers Robert Fico. After all, he himself had already come under the radar of the investigating authorities for forming a criminal organization. Now Fico’s party friends, associates and acquaintances are still under investigation. But Fico can end this now because he has been Prime Minister of Slovakia again since October. Before Christmas, he wants the Cabinet decision he has just taken to abolish the public prosecutor’s office, responsible for corruption investigations, to be confirmed in Parliament.
The example shows that populists certainly stick to what they promised in the election campaign. This was no different with Poland’s right-wing nationalist Law and Policy Party. It immediately introduced new social benefits in 2015, and immediately began politicizing the judiciary.
Lawyers were not consulted
Voters and supporters of such parties can feel confident: they are doing something, not just talking. But of course it’s not that simple. People like Fico make it easy for themselves. Because they do not care about the consequences of their actions on the entire constitutional state and on all citizens.
Fico did not consult lawyers. They consider his actions dangerous for the entire legal structure. But FICO will push the boundaries of what is possible. He gave his constituents justification for his actions during his years in opposition, in which he constantly insulted the institutions and representatives of the state that annoyed him, describing them as incompetent and downright harmful. So he also presents himself as a philanthropist for his country.
We should not ignore foreign partners nor the European Union if Fico supports their decisions from abroad. He is not a democrat, but rather a businessman, acting openly in his own interests. Like other governments, it could harm the entire European Union. The committee should provide the necessary tools for reform.
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“Tv specialist. Friendly web geek. Food scholar. Extreme coffee junkie.”
– The Slovak Prime Minister launches his attack on the rule of law
Robert Fico unscrupulously begins to remake the country – for his own benefit.
Victoria Grossman