Pavel Calls Fico's Remarks on NATO Article 5 Serious

Czech President Petr Pavel described remarks by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty as serious. Fico said this week that he would do everything in his power to ensure that Slovakia is not drawn into a military conflict, according to the iDnes website.

"This is an absolutely serious statement that we should take seriously and that we should definitely not follow", Pavel responded. He emphasized that Article 5 embodies solidarity and mutual responsibility among NATO members. He hopes that the Czech Republic will not follow a similar path.

Fico had earlier warned that the situation had never been as serious as it is today with regard to the possibility of a Europe-wide military conflict. He added, however, that Slovakia values cooperation with its allies and the fulfillment of its commitments. As an example of a possible incident, he cited a drone strike by a NATO member state.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini also commented on Fico's remarks, cautioning that Slovakia should not signal that it would stand aside in the event of a conflict. He noted that NATO membership brings obligations as well as benefits.

Article 5 states that an armed attack against one or more members of the alliance is considered an attack against all.

(mja)