BRATISLAVA – The junior coalition party, the Slovak National Party (SNS/NI), has called on PM Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) to dismiss Slovak EU Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič.

The party criticised Šefčovič for his “passivity” regarding US tariffs and labelled him the “father” of the Green Deal, which, according to SNS, is destroying heavy industry in the EU.

“SNS sees it as a political mistake if the European Commission does not negotiate with representatives of the U.S. administration when introducing tariffs. It is especially unacceptable to us that this issue is being handled by a representative of the Slovak Republic, Maroš Šefčovič,” the party stated.

“He was there when the insane conditions of the Green Deal were introduced. He was there when the conditions that are destroying heavy industry in the European Union were set, and today he is once again failing in this position.”

Meanwhile, Maroš Šefčovič had previously announced that he would hold talks on tariffs with his U.S. counterparts on Friday. According to him, the EU is ready to negotiate and will not stand idly by if it fails to reach a fair agreement.

Also, SNS seems to overlook the fact that Robert Fico has no authority to “dismiss” Maroš Šefčovič. Only the President of the European Commission, in this case, Ursula von der Leyen, can request the resignation of an individual Commissioner.

SNS had already opposed Šefčovič’s renomination to the Commission. At the time, party leader Andrej Danko said he “betrayed Slovakia’s values.”

The Slovak ruling coalition is struggling to shape its messaging in response to the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s administration. Robert Fico was among the speakers at U.S. conservatives’ conference CPAC, where he enthusiastically endorsed Trump.

Slovakia’s Minister of the Interior, Matúš Šutaj-Eštok (Hlas-SD/NI), has today also placed blame on the EU for the tariffs.

“For years, the European Union has been inventing pseudo-problems, moralizing to the entire world, and neglecting the most fundamental issues—security, prosperity, and stability for its own citizens. Therefore, we cannot be surprised that the new U.S. administration is unafraid to take any measures against a weakened European Union,” wrote Šutaj-Eštok.

(Zuzana Gabrižováb | Euractiv.sk)