BRATISLAVA (Reuters) -Slovak opposition chief Michal Simecka launched an try to dismiss the leftist-nationalist authorities in a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of laying the groundwork to take the nation out of the EU.

The opposition effort seemed set to fail as the federal government’s slim majority in parliament was anticipated to again Fico.

Fico has sought to keep up relations with Russia through the battle in Ukraine and halted official army assist to Kyiv. He has criticised sanctions on Russia and escalated a rift with Kyiv after Russian gasoline provides by means of Ukraine stopped on the finish of 2024.

Fico, chief of the leftist Smer-SSD social gathering and a four-time prime minister, has additionally stated Slovakia wanted to arrange for “all possible crisis situations” which the EU may face within the brief time period, suggesting even a break-up of the bloc.

“This cannot be read in any other way than… what we had warned of: that the government of Smer is preparing the ground for leading Slovakia out of the European Union,” Simecka, chief of the Progressive Slovakia social gathering, instructed parliament.

“I see this as such an existential threat to our national interests that we do not need anything else to declare no-confidence.”

Fico instructed parliament that international coverage was decided by NATO and EU membership however Slovakia couldn’t be “static” in a fast-developing world.

“What if a group of 3-4 large countries comes and says, ladies and gentlemen, either there will be a superstate where you lose all your national sovereignty … or go your own way?” Fico stated. “We are speaking of a development that can happen very fast.”

Fico reiterated his stance in opposition to extending the EU’s majority voting to extra areas, which might restrict the facility of nationwide vetoes.

Fico travelled to fulfill Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on a unannounced non-public journey in December to debate gasoline and Ukraine. A delegation of a number of pro-government members of parliament went to Moscow final week in search of to enhance ties.

The prime minister has since accused the opposition of getting ready fashionable protests with the intention of seizing energy, which the opposition has denied.

Fico has additionally travelled China, Brazil, and Turkey to forge ties beneath what he calls a international coverage in all instructions.

Fico’s cupboard was anticipated to be backed by Smer in addition to deputies from the nationalist SNS and centre-left Hlas social gathering, giving him sufficient votes to outlive. Nonetheless, Hlas has rejected any dialogue over EU membership, and several other of its deputies have protested in opposition to Fico’s international coverage.