Monika Tódová selected and commented on the news
1. We help Ukraine
On Wednesday, the European Union approved 50 billion in aid for Ukraine. The decision was taken unanimously and relatively quickly by the leaders at the summit in Brussels. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was also in favor, blocking this aid back in December.
Although this may not appear at the moment when following events in domestic Slovak politics, it is the most important news these days. It means that although Robert Fico, the head of Smer, is the Slovak prime minister, our main enemy is still Russia, and as a country we are aware of the importance of Ukraine fighting for us as well.
Regardless of what Fico says publicly about Ukraine, in the end, deeds are the most important. Now, the fact that even with the voice of the Slovak prime minister, Slovakia stood up for Ukraine.
What and how was agreed: 50 billion euros will come from the common EU budget, to which all states contribute. This is money intended for the next three years for the restoration of the country, one third is grants, two thirds is a loan.
The quick approval of the aid was preceded by information from the British Financial Times about Brussels’ plan to attack the Hungarian economy if Viktor Orbán uses the veto. It was allegedly an announcement by European leaders that Hungary would lose European resources, which would scare the financial markets and subsequently, for example, weaken the Hungarian forint.
The fact that Orbán finally backed down and did not make any drama out of the negotiations shows that politicians like him or Robert Fico are only affected by threats that they will lose money.
Foreign media also reported that Orbán tried to get Fico on his side by blocking aid to Ukraine, but he refused.
Fico first announced a few days before the summit that he had fallen ill, canceled his program, but at the same time wrote that he had to do everything to be in Brussels on Thursday morning at the European Council “where all kinds of strange things are being prepared against Hungary”.
In the end, Fico did nothing for Hungary, but he did a lot for Ukraine.
Can only handle one enemy. It turns out that what Fico says publicly about Ukraine is mainly for the sake of his voters at home. However, he is afraid of European money and the only thing he really cares about at any cost is to push the criminal package.
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