Fico: Serbia and Slovakia are historically close countries; I see no reason to recognize Kosovo

Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, stated today that the friendship between Serbia and Slovakia could always be improved and that he saw no reason to recognize Kosovo, adding that Slovakia would continue to be among the few countries sharing the same opinion on this issue, RTV reports.

He said that Slovakia was a small country that adhered to the principle that small countries without armaments and not solving their problems through military means could only rely on international law.

"If we have the courage to say that we see a violation of international law in the case of Ukraine, then we also have the courage to say the same in the case of Kosovo. So, if we remain on the platform of respecting international law, and standards of how an independent state should emerge, then you can count on us. We see no reason to recognize Kosovo," he said in an interview with Tanjug.

When asked if Slovakia faced pressure due to this stance, Fico said he was accustomed to criticism if he expressed a brave opinion and spoke the truth instead of what "liberal, progressive media" expected.

"I have been in politics since 1992. This is my fourth term. I don't wake up in the morning trembling with fear of whether I will be president for the fifth time. Thanks to that, I can speak freely and have the freedom of my opinion. If there were any pressure on us, I see no reason to change our opinion regarding the recognition of Kosovo," Fico stated.

Fico, speaking about the current situation in the southern Serbian province, quoted a Slovak saying, " If you go looking for trouble, you'll find it," and stated that much was said about European integration, that Serbia's negotiations were ongoing, and that he knew the issue of so-called Kosovo was a topic that hindered the whole process.

"On the other hand, we accept political decisions and invite Ukraine to join the European Union. I wish everyone who wants to be in the European Union to join, but I see the difference when a political decision comes before the country is ready, and I see political decisions that hinder already prepared countries, so I will go back to Serbia and say, for you, the rule definitely applies that if you go looking for trouble, you'll find it," Fico said.

Asked if there was a possibility for Slovakia to return to the KFOR mission, which was significant for the security of the Serbs in Kosovo, Fico said he had discussed Slovakia's foreign activities with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Robert Kalinak.

"We touched on this mission, and the Minister of Defense confirmed to me that if Slovakia were invited, we are absolutely ready to participate actively in this mission. Therefore, I can say that if we can unite forces in this spirit, I will be glad to. Slovakia will gladly return to this mission," Fico said.

Fico stated that today, countries that were not politically ready were being invited to join the European Union, while countries showing a high level of readiness were being politically rejected.

He said this commenting on the fact that Serbia is being conditioned for the agreement from Brussels and Ohrid to become a part of the negotiating framework, emphasizing that Serbia must expect Kosovo to be used as a stumbling block in negotiations with Serbia's accession to the European Union.

"When it comes to Slovakia, I can say that Slovakia's membership in the European Union is a good story. Membership in the European Union has been very helpful for us. I really want countries like Serbia to have the same chance. It is very dangerous if political criteria are brought to the fore, rather than those criteria that are important: the criteria of the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and economic readiness. If Serbia were a member of the European Union, this would generally reduce tension," he said.

As an example, he stated that Slovakia today had excellent relations with Hungary regarding national minorities, but that it had not been the case in the past, however, today, political representatives understood each other well, and there were no unresolved issues between Slovakia and Hungary.

"Viktor Orban and I invest enormous energy in ensuring peace and that people live well here. I believe in the thesis that if Serbia were in the European Union, the tension would not be so great. However, I believe that the issue of Kosovo will be used as a stumbling block when it comes to Serbia's accession to the European Union," the Slovak Prime Minister assessed.

He also stated that in the EU, in the upcoming budget period, the so-called Strategic Agenda would be adopted, of which enlargement was an integral part, which had enormous benefits for new member states.

However, he emphasizes that there are also countries that believe that new members will cost a lot of money, namely that a lot of money will go towards cohesion policy, and agricultural policy, and that existing member states will not receive as much as they would like.

"To a certain extent, I am very realistic and I want to say that EU enlargement will be a very demanding process, and I wouldn't want to be overly optimistic now and say that tomorrow Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other countries will be admitted to the European Union. It simply probably won't go like that because there will be EU member states that will look at their own national interests and will say that it would be better to wait a little longer with enlargement," he said.

He also emphasizes that it would be a huge victory for Serbia to become a part of the European Union as soon as possible, and Slovakia is fully prepared for it, having the experience and being able to transfer that experience, with the mistakes made during accession, to Serbia if Serbia wants it.

"We made big mistakes in other processes too, so I won't preach too much or give advice to anyone, and I always say that you should approach another country with respect, but when it comes to our mistakes, we will gladly tell you about them. I wish Serbia a faster integration, and you have our full support in this," Fico said.