Fiala says he believes in further cooperation with Slovakia after elections

The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, says he believes in continued close cooperation of his country and Slovakia. He made the comment on Sunday, the day after Robert Fico’s Smer party came first in general elections in Slovakia.

The Civic Democrats’ Mr. Fiala said he hoped post-election talks in Bratislava would go quickly and would lead to the formation of a good government.

He said that Czechia and Slovakia were joined by historical ties and proximity but also cordial relations.

The head of another governing party the Mayors, Vít Rakušan, said the victory of the pro-Russian Mr. Fico was a warning and a lesson on Czechia. He said if Czechs wanted to hold onto liberal democracy its merits had to be explained to those who didn’t benefit much, or at all, from such a form of government.

Czech President Petr Pavel said it was in Czechia’s interest to maintain above standard relations with Slovakia.