Zeman expresses support for PM Fico at meeting with Slovak minister

Former Czech President Miloš Zeman met with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár at his home in Lány in the Kladno region on Saturday, and during the meeting Mr. Zeman expressed support for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The two agreed on the importance of the best possible relations between the two neighbouring states, which have cooled at the government level recently.

"I have always cared about Czech-Slovak friendship. It is a rare thing, and I know that it will overcome even more difficult periods," said Mr. Zeman after today's meeting with Blanár, who gave him a personal greeting from Prime Minister Fico. "I returned the warm greeting and asked the minister to convey my support to Robert Fico," said the former Czech president.

The government of current Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala suspended Czech-Slovak intergovernmental consultations last March, due to differences of opinion between Prague and Bratislava on key foreign policy topics, most notably on Ukraine. Fico has recently criticised Czechia for what he sees as its politicians and media interfering in Slovakia's internal affairs. Prime Minister Fiala called the accusation absurd, and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský also strongly rejected Fico's words.