ATHENS

Slovakia’s prime minister hinted that his Direction - Social Democracy party (SMER) wouldn’t join the right-wing Patriots for Europe alliance in the European Parliament.

In a video on the party’s YouTube channel on Thursday, Robert Fico said: “SMER cannot enter into European political structures that have nothing to do with ... social democracy."

On the EP’s Socialists and Democrats group, from which SMER was suspended last year for incorporating the far-right Slovak National Party, he said his party disagrees with many of the group’s views, including on the war in Ukraine and managing migration to the EU.

"If we should go somewhere and repeat like parrots what others want and (something) which is in stark contrast with Slovak national state interests, then I say in advance that we thank you, but our European lawmakers would rather stay independent," Fico added.

On July 8, Patriots for Europe, initiated by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, emerged as the third-biggest group in the European Parliament with 84 European lawmakers from 12 countries.