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Bratislava – Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD) condemned the statements of Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who, in an interview for CNN, labeled Slovakia and Hungary as “slightly problematic” countries within the EU. The head of the Ministry of Interior would rather expect a joint statement on US tariffs. He states this on social media, reports TASR.
According to him, the Finnish president claims that countries that refuse the continuous armament of Ukraine, that seek peace, and deviate from liberal views, should belong to the OUT group of countries, meaning those that should leave the European Union.
“I reject and condemn such a statement from any leader,” responds Šutaj Eštok, noting that the EU is a peace community and also criticized the fact that US President Donald Trump dares to impose tariffs on a weakened and disunited EU without any concern.
According to his own words, the Interior Minister would expect, instead of “thoughtless words” from the Finnish president, a proposal for a joint procedure against US tariffs to prevent a trade war. He would also expect a call for cohesion and finding compromises among member countries.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in connection with the current developments around Britain as now a non-member state of the EU and, conversely, the leading position of London in the so-called coalition of the willing, stated last week in an interview for CNN television that, in his opinion, relations on the continent have become more flexible lately.
“What I am starting to observe is a more flexible Europe – or something that we could call the EU plus and minus, whereby the plus is the United Kingdom, Norway, and Iceland, and perhaps the minus are member states like Hungary and Slovakia, which are currently somewhat problematic within the European Union,” said the Finnish president. (March 31)