EU puts pressure on Slovak PM over his visit to Moscow — news portal

BRUSSELS, May 10. /TASS/. European officials have voiced criticism of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s trip to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations and are seeking to use any available leverage against him, Euractiv reported. The news portal noted that Brussels warned about a shortfall in Slovakia’s agricultural payments agency, which puts funding for local farmers at risk. Euractiv also recalled an April call by members of the European Parliament to develop a mechanism that would allow the suspension of EU funding to any member state in the event of violations of the primacy of European Union law that could affect the bloc’s budget management. Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said European leaders would discuss Fico’s visit to the Russian capital. "We will talk with him about this day in Moscow," he said. Fico, along with other foreign leaders, arrived in Moscow on Saturday to attend celebrations on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with the Slovak prime minister.