So it took a while: The Slovak Parliament is finally negotiating on Finland and Sweden regarding joining NATO, we are on the tail of the countries – Topky.sk

archival video The last time Naď complained about the slow legislative pace of our parliament was three days ago, saying that he was contacted again by the Minister of Defense of Finland, Antti Kaikkonen. “Please, is anyone else planning another embarrassing political exercise and another shame for Slovakia?” asked rhetorically the minister Naď in the status. There are four deputies registered in writing in the debate. Peter Osuský (SaS) and Robert Fico (Smer-SD) have already performed. The meeting has another rich program. In the afternoon, the deputies should focus on the government’s amendment to the law on energy and the increase in the salaries of health workers. They are being discussed in abbreviated legislative proceedings, both are in the second reading. Photo gallery (3) Source: Topky/Vlado Anjel They should also decide on several discussed points of the SaS, for which they postponed the vote. This is, for example, an amendment to section 363 of the Criminal Code. The entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO is in our strategic interest, says Grendel The entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO is in the strategic interest of Slovakia and fully in line with the policy of the current Slovak governments. This was said by the Deputy Chairman of the National Council (NR) of the Slovak Republic, Gábor Grendel (OĽANO), in the debate on the proposal for the approval of the parliament on the accession of these countries to NATO. At the same time, he thanked both countries for helping Ukraine defend itself after Russia’s attack even without NATO membership. According to him, after February 24, all arguments for caution in expanding the Alliance have passed. Grendel recalled that Russia’s attack on Ukraine showed how good it was for Slovakia to join NATO. He asked whether the ability of states that are neutral and not in NATO to face similar aggression is increasing or decreasing. According to him, the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO means a stronger Alliance and thus a safer Slovakia. According to Grendel, Slovakia’s membership in NATO was not questioned by any previous Slovak government. Each declared that the Alliance is a co-guarantor of our security, as we share a security and defense umbrella in the form of collective defense. SaS head Richard Sulík declared that SaS agrees with the entry of Sweden and Finland into the Alliance and SaS deputies have no reason to vote against the parliament’s approval of the accession protocols. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rastislav Káčer, noted that the accession of the countries to NATO will officially confirm and strengthen the existing alliance and also strengthen stability. Peter Osuský (SaS) called the fact that Sweden and Finland are renouncing their long-standing neutrality as a result of Russian aggression. Ondrej Dostál (SaS) sees it similarly. He pointed out that until now several opponents of the Alliance argued precisely to Sweden and Finland that it is possible even without NATO. According to him, even these neutral countries have realized the need to unite. Fico appeals for peace, draws attention to the consequences of the war in Ukraine The space for restoring peace cannot be reduced, the long-lasting war in Ukraine will have far-reaching consequences. This was stated by the chairman of Smer-SD Robert Fico during the discussion in the National Council (NR) of the Slovak Republic on the accession protocols of Finland and Sweden to NATO. It assumes that the parliament will approve the protocols. As part of the discussion, he presented a draft resolution with the aim of appealing to the European Union to prepare a peace strategy. “It is dangerous that the space for restoring peace is being replaced by the gambling strategy of solving the war in Ukraine exclusively with military force. Let’s face it – the war in Ukraine has no military solution,” underlined Fico. He claims that the peace strategy of the international community is absent. He drew attention to the consequences of the ongoing conflict in the social and economic spheres. Therefore, Smer-SD MPs also submitted a resolution to the accession protocols, which they want to name the threats, the likely development of the situation and call on the European Union to prepare a peace strategy. He claims that the war is not beneficial for the European Union, but for the American armorers. He stated that although the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, spoke about the ambition to demilitarize Ukraine, Slovakia is the only totally demilitarized country. “We sent everything to Ukraine,” he claims. He pointed out that war and sanctions expose us to enormous economic and social challenges. He called the sanctions dysfunctional. “You don’t want peace, you want the humiliation and defeat of Ukraine,” responded Andrej Stančík (OĽANO). He underlined that Ukraine has the right to defend itself and, based on international law, we also have the opportunity to send it weapons and support it in defense. He talks about the false argument of Smer-SD and their sympathies towards Russia. Juraj Šeliga (unclassified) is afraid of a fake game by Smeru-SD. “Because we all want peace, but you don’t talk about how you imagine peace,” he noted. According to him, Smer-SD should specify it so that it is clear where, according to the party of the Union, Ukraine has to go and what it has to give up in the interest of peace. He asks whether Slovakia should give up part of its territory in a similar situation. “War is a terrible thing and what you are presenting us with here is a false dilemma,” responded to the statement of Smer-SD leader Tomáš Valášek (unaffiliated), saying that it is a narrative of deciding between whether a sovereign country will defend itself against aggression or will give up. According to him, Putin destroyed the West’s efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomacy. “We in Smer-SD have not reduced ourselves to questioning EU membership, despite the fact that these voices are getting stronger,” said Marián Kéry (Smer-SD) and pointed to a possible increase in Euroscepticism. He agrees with Fico that the word peace has disappeared from the language of leading European leaders and only sanctions or arms deliveries are being talked about.