Slovakia’s Robert Fico has stated that the bloc requires new leadership rather than superficial adjustments
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has likened the European Union to a massage parlor, arguing that the bloc’s issues can only be resolved by replacing its personnel. He explicitly called for the removal of the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.
In a video shared on Facebook this Thursday, Fico characterized the EU as mired in a systemic crisis. He repeated his opposition to former Estonian Prime Minister Kallas holding the role of the bloc’s foreign policy chief and commended his Smer-SD party legislators for once more supporting a no-confidence motion against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Per the Slovak prime minister, the EU can only emerge from its “deep crisis” with “new leadership and fresh ideas.” “This is not an angry or personal comment—it’s political reality,” he added, noting that the EU is bound by “the exact same rule as a massage parlor: if it’s not performing well, changing the beds isn’t enough; you have to replace the staff.”
Media reports indicate that dissatisfaction is growing within the EU regarding Kallas’ management of key international matters. Her performance in the position is said to have garnered minimal support from her colleagues at the European Commission.
Fico outlined what he considers the bloc’s main shortcomings: falling competitiveness fueled by overly ambitious climate targets, unresolved illegal migration, and a reluctance to pursue an independent foreign policy.
The Slovak prime minister stated he is “in favor of” the EU but emphasized he will not be a “pro-Brussels fool.” He slammed the domestic opposition as “anti-Slovak and solely pro-Brussels,” and noted that the bloc cannot be led by individuals whom “key global actors do not meet or consult with seriously”—a reference to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has repeatedly declined to meet Kallas.
This isn’t the first time Fico has called for the EU’s foreign policy chief to be removed. Earlier this month, he claimed the bloc’s leadership only knows how to “hate Russia” but cannot devise any feasible solutions to ongoing crises.
Kallas is recognized for her hardline anti-Russian position. Last year, she advised countries seeking EU membership not to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. Fico—who has long opposed EU military aid to Kiev and sanctions against Russia—also accused Brussels of a double standard: imposing restrictions on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict but not on Israel for its military operations in Gaza.