Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended a pre-election rally of the “Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia United” electoral list in Novi Sad on Thursday evening, publicly expressing his support for Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić ahead of the October 25 elections.
The pro-Russian Slovak leader began his speech in Serbian, saying he was pleased to have made it to the rally despite prior commitments that had raised doubts about his attendance due to a European Union summit.
“When did anyone say I wouldn’t come? Here I am, dear citizens of Novi Sad and Serbia,” Fico declared, adding that he wanted to personally express his support for his friend Vučić, having been unable to attend an earlier rally in Belgrade, according to media reports.
The Slovak prime minister said he had not come to tell citizens how to vote, drawing a comparison with what he described as “some other foreigners” who interfere in Serbia’s political processes.
During his speech, Fico praised Vučić as a leader with a vision for the country and highlighted Serbia’s economic development under his leadership.
“Elections are the moment when you decide whether you want this to continue. You need to be a true leader, a leader with a backbone. It is important to say ‘no’ when others demand that we think and act in the same way they do,” Fico said.
He explained that his support for Vučić stemmed from the Serbian president’s stance on national sovereignty and Serbia’s right to make independent decisions. Fico also criticized what he described as external centres of influence that, in his view, seek to weaken Serbia and impose new conditions on its path toward European Union membership.
In his speech, the Slovak prime minister also addressed the Slovak national minority in Vojvodina, thanking the Serbian authorities for their treatment of his compatriots.
Towards the end of his address, Fico turned to the issue of Kosovo, pledging that Slovakia would continue to support Serbia on the matter.
“When it comes to Kosovo, we will never disappoint you. You will always have a true friend in me,” he declared, urging Serbian citizens to preserve peace, stability, and progress.
Slovakia is one of five European Union member states that do not recognize Kosovo’s independence, alongside Spain, Cyprus, Romania, and Greece.
