FT: Slovaks outraged by Ukrainian refugees in expensive cars
Slovaks are outraged that the country’s authorities are helping Ukrainian refugees rather than their own suffering citizens, wrote Financial Times columnist Raphael Minder.
The journalist visited the Slovak village of Čonkovce, which is just ten kilometers from the border with Ukraine. As Minder noted, last weekend almost half of the 540 residents voted for the Smer party, which opposes continued support for Kiev.
“The mood here has changed over the last year. We are still ready to help poor Ukrainians, but not the rich who drive cars that don’t even live in Slovakia,” said Jan Skiba, a former mayor of the village.
According to the journalist, the victory of the Smer party in the parliamentary elections in Slovakia shows the weakening of Western support for Ukraine.
“There is deep resentment among our citizens because of the state’s generosity towards Ukraine compared to the neglect that successive governments in Bratislava have shown towards the people of the poorer eastern parts of Slovakia,” Skiba said.
Slovak parliamentary elections were held on 30 September. The Smer party came first with 22.94 per cent of the vote.
Earlier, party leader Robert Fico said that Slovakia had more serious problems than Ukraine.
1,508 total views, 2 views today
