Slovakia would not boycott Hungary’s activities during its EU presidency, as Slovak President Peter Pellegrini stated that he saw no reason to penalise the sovereign position of an EU member.
After a meeting with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok in Budapest on Thursday, Pellegrini assured that Slovak government representatives would fully participate in all relevant meetings organised by the Hungarian presidency.
I don’t think anyone should be punished for trying to engage in dialogue, and the Slovak Republic is not going to do that.
Pellegrini was referring to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s trips to Ukraine, Russia, and China, which EU institutions and members did not approve. He also reiterated that he saw “no reason to punish the sovereign stance of an EU member state simply because someone disapproves.”
The Slovak President also asked his Hungarian counterpart to prioritise the fight against unfair trade practices and the persistence of double standards on food quality during Hungary’s presidency.
Budapest promised to extend its assistance in defending Slovakia’s airspace until the end of 2025. Slovakia faced problems in maintaining its air defence after the previous pro-Ukrainian government transferred Slovak MiG-29 fighter jets and S-300 systems to Kyiv.
EU does not approve
Recently, the European Commission as well as Sweden, Finland, Poland, and the Baltic States announced their intention to boycott Hungary’s presidency in response to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visits to Moscow and Beijing.
Last Wednesday, 10 July, 25 EU member states criticised Hungary for its diplomatic initiatives towards Ukraine. They stated that Orbán’s actions were incompatible with the EU presidency.
Meanwhile, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Wednesday that he had instructed the foreign ministry to ensure that Slovakia’s representatives in EU bodies did not support any proposals to penalise Hungary for its “peace efforts.” Fico also called the ideas of punishing Hungary “crazy.”
If my health had allowed it, I would have gone to Kyiv and Moscow with Orbán.
