Hungary is watching closely the unusual domestic political events currently unfolding in Slovakia, the Hungarian foreign minister told Hungary's state news agency (MTI) on Saturday. Peter Szijjarto said that according to news reports, there are plans to jail the leader of the opposition, therefore the situation requires more and closer attention than usual.

The Hungarian minister’s comments pertained to the special unit of Slovakia’s police – the National Law Enforcement Agency (NAKA) – launching proceedings against Slovakia’s ex-PM Robert Fico, who is also the chairman of the opposition Direction-Slovak Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party, and against former Interior Minister Robert Kalinak. The two Slovak politicians are suspected of setting up and supporting a criminal organisation, abuse of office and repeatedly compromising laws on commercial, banking, postal, telecommunications, and tax secrecy.

Fico: If they find me hanged, I didn’t do it

At a press conference on Saturday, Robert Fico described the accusations as unfounded and political revenge. As he put it, „If they find me hanged, I didn’t do it.” The former premier also stated that „it is not Hungary or Poland, but Slovakia that is the ulcer on the body of Europe”.

“Today’s Slovak society is not democratic, Slovakia is not a state based on rule of law”, but an “American province,” Mr Fico said.

The country is run by “criminals”, while President Zuzana Caputova serves the interests of Washington, he added.

Responding to a journalist’s question, Slovakia’s former PM said the government wanted to „remove” the leader of the strongest opposition party and „throw him in jail.” Mr Fico voiced the harshest criticism about former Prime Minister and Finance Minister Igor Matovic and Daniel Lipsic, the head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office (USP), describing them as fascists and criminals.

“Hungary is being attacked because the ruling party is delivering its agenda that it promised to voters during the elections,” Slovakia’s former prime minister pointed out. Mr Fico is currently an MP, so criminal proceedings against him can only be launched after his immunity has been rescinded. Slovakia’s National Council – or parliament – will discuss the issue next week, MTI has said.