Fico questions Slovakia’s membership in NATO / day

Known for pro -Russian views, Fico is led by a three -party coalition government that is controversials on defense spending.

It is expected that next week in the Hague’s upcoming NATO Summit will be agreed on significant increase in protection expenses.

Fico said « neutrality would be suitable for Slovakia in these meaningless arms. »

He later added that Slovakia would have to increase defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product (GDP), as suggested by US President Donald Trump, or to leave NATO.

Fico compared NATO to a golf club whose members pays for playing.

« Either we pay the new membership fee, at least with the reservation that we are using defense money at our own discretion, mainly for two -use projects such as hospitals and roads, or we leave NATO, » Fico said.

Since 2022, Slovakia has spent two percent of GDP in defense, corresponding to current NATO guidelines.

Fico added that Slovakia should not participate in any military adventures and expressed the assumption that it could not afford to increase defense costs.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, who is an ally of Fico, called the prime minister « an expert in the public space contaminating with a topic that we will all discuss for 20 days, but the result will not be. »

« Our neutrality would be several times more expensive than our membership in NATO, » Pellegrin added.