Controversial MEP visits Russia to ‘counterbalance’ successful talks in Uzhhorod - expert
Pro-Russian Slovak MEP Ľuboš Blaha, a member of Slovakia's ruling party Smer made a propaganda visit to Moscow to counterbalance the impressions of the successful talks in Uzhhorod between the Ukrainian and Slovak prime ministers.
This opinion was expressed by Slovak expert Juraj Mesíkis in a conversation with an Ukrinform correspondent.
“Ľuboš Blaha is a kind of ‘useful idiot’ of Robert Fico. His visit served to ensure that the radically pro-Russian voters of the Smer party received at least some compensation for Fico's ‘betrayal’ in Uzhhorod,” Mesíkis said.
In his opinion, this indirectly confirms the success of the Slovak-Ukrainian talks that took place last week.
At the same time, Mesíkis emphasized that in the pro-Russian segment of Slovak politics, there is a kind of intraspecific struggle “who loves Putin more.” In this regard, according to the expert, Blaha is currently competing with the head of the Slovak National Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, Andrej Danko.
As Politico wrote on October 14, pro-Russian Slovak MEP Ľuboš Blaha from the ruling coalition’s Smer party visited Moscow to “give thanks for the liberation from fascism” and “to apologize for Russophobia in the West.”
In a four-minute video posted on Telegram, Blaha walks across Moscow’s Red Square, reminiscing about the “Slavic brotherhood” and spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda.
Blaha's trip and remarks drew criticism from European Parliament Vice President Martin Hojsík from the opposition party Progressive Slovakia.
Juraj Mesíkis a Slovak analyst, civic activist, lecturer affiliated with the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, and a regular speaker at the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum.
As reported by Ukrinform, on October 7, the Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Slovakia, Denys Shmyhal and Robert Fico, met near Uzhhorod. The heads of government discussed cooperation in energy security and infrastructure projects.
Photo: EP