Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico appears to be set to survive the upcoming no-confidence vote after MPs who initially disagreed with him announced their support for him, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Opposition parties said yesterday that they would organize a no-confidence vote against Fico's left-wing nationalist government, accusing it of bringing the country's foreign policy closer to Russia while not doing enough to deal with the country's problems.
The government has been changing the focus of foreign policy since taking power in late 2023, stopping state military aid to Ukraine and renewing relations with Moscow. Fico also visited Moscow last month.
He faced dissent from four MPs from the "Voice" party, a junior coalition partner whose support is seen as key in a no-confidence vote likely to be held next week.
"We are part of the ruling coalition and we have no reason to support the opposition in ousting the prime minister," one of the dissenting MPs told TA3 television.
However, he added that changing the direction of foreign policy in a way that would affect the country's commitment to the EU and NATO, which Fico has not proposed, would be a red line.
Fico's majority in parliament fell to 76 MPs after three members of the Slovak National Party, the other junior coalition partner, left the party late last year, despite supported the budget plan in December.
"Glas" and the Slovak People's Party are also at loggerheads.
Fico, who is serving his fourth term as prime minister, has said that if his coalition partners fail to reach an agreement with their MPs, his options include a change of government or early elections.
Meanwhile, Fico is at loggerheads with Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky after Kiev this month halted Russian gas supplies to Slovakia.
The opposition says he has done little to address problems such as a large budget deficit, high prices and healthcare difficulties.