FICO

Slovakia will on Saturday hold the first round of a presidential election that is a battle between the Central European country's Russia-leaning ruling camp and a pro-Ukraine opposition-backed candidate.

Parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini and liberal ex-foreign minister Ivan Korcok are the clear frontrunners among nine contenders.

BRATISLAVA - In an exclusive interview for Tanjug, Slovak PM Robert Fico said on Thursday his country saw no reason to recognise the so-called Kosovo.

Fico said Slovakia was a small country adhering to the principle that small countries that did not resolve their problems by military means could rely only on international law.

Meanwhile, President Caputova, the most trusted Slovak politician, does not often talk about how often she and her daughters receive various threats, including death threats. Yet earlier this week, she posted on social media that she is prepared to take legal action against Smer leader and former PM Robert Fico.

The Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico, thanked his Greek colleagues on twitter for a symbolic gesture of solidarity for the coronovirus-suffering Italy.

The Italian flag will be depicted on the wall of the Greek Parliament until Monday's sunrise.

And in February, Slovaks will commemorate the second anniversary of the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak's and his fiancée, Martina Kusnirova, whose deaths in 2018 sparked protests comparable to those of the Velvet Revolution.

For many Slovaks, the texts are a reminder of the sheer depth of corruption in a country still reeling from the shooting of 27-year-old Kuciak and his fiancée in Bratislava in February 2018.

They see the texts as proof that Kocner, who was already in custody when he was charged with ordering Kuciak's murder, thought he was above the law, though he denies any wrongdoing.

BRATISLAVA (REUTERS) - Slovak President Andrej Kiska appointed Peter Pellegrini as prime minister on Thursday to end a political crisis touched off by the murder of an investigative journalist that led to mass protests and the resignation of veteran leader Robert Fico.

Robert Fico has offered to resign as Slovakia's prime minister in an effort to quell a gathering political crisis sparked by the murder of an investigative journalist.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says it is important to offer a European perspective "to some countries in the Balkans."

Fico spoke after his meeting the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, Tanjug reported on Tuesday, citing Slovakia's TASR.

Fico spoke after his meeting the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, Tanjug reported on Tuesday, citing Slovakia's TASR.

The prime minister assessed that the Balkans is "once again starting to burn," and said he believes a European perspective is necessary because otherwise "the nervousness in the region will start to grow."