FLASH
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A warning by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that EU funds for Slovakia and Hungary will be cut if they continue to deviate from the bloc's direction has also caused the first clash between the leaders of European countries.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico considers Merz's warnings completely unacceptable.
"The German Chancellor's words are absolutely unacceptable in modern Europe. If we do not obey them, will we be punished? This is not the way to promote unity and cooperation," Fico said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that "Slovakia is not some little schoolboy who needs lectures."
Fico, along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is widely considered one of the most Kremlin-friendly leaders in the EU. Like Orbán, he has opposed EU initiatives to provide military and other support to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Fico was the only EU leader to visit Moscow, where he took part in events marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. His government has also faced growing criticism for democratic setbacks, including attacks on media independence and judicial reforms that have raised alarms in Brussels.
Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár joined the criticism, expressing the belief that Merz's statements were "merely hypothetical thoughts, although some media are already treating them as proven facts."
Speaking at the WDR Europaforum, Merz cited Slovakia and Hungary as countries that "hold a different stance" from the EU's direction and warned that if their trajectory continues, a conflict with them could be inevitable.
"It's a small minority, but we can't let it influence decisions for the entire EU. This could lead to stronger statements, or even more serious confrontations," Merz said.
He pointed to existing EU mechanisms for disciplining member states that violate EU rules - including the option to suspend funds, which has already been used in the case of Hungary.
Merz stressed that he does not seek confrontation, but warned: “if necessary, we will deal with them.” He added that he had already raised the issue with Orbán.
No frozen funds for Slovakia
Slovakia currently faces no suspension of EU funds and its recovery plan is on track. Last year, it risked a freeze after adopting a controversial reform of the Criminal Code, which the European Commission said failed to adequately protect EU money. The legislation was later amended.
Meanwhile, a European Parliament delegation is in Slovakia this week to assess how EU funds are being used. Delegation head Tomáš Zdechovský (European People's Party) said they had received "worrying reports" of suspected abuses involving senior officials, which now require a full investigation.
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