The Party of European Socialists (PES) has voted to permanently expel the Slovak party "Smer", led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, Politico reports, citing its sources.
The leadership made the unanimous decision at a meeting last Thursday. The decision will have to be ratified at a meeting in Amsterdam between October 16 and 18.
It is recalled that the decision comes after Fico shook hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in May ahead of the annual Victory Day celebrations in Russia. Fico visited Beijing in the first week of September, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
However, Fico also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Fico has been in increasing conflict with the European Socialists, delaying the adoption of sanctions against Russia and being accused of undermining the rule of law in Bratislava.
Smer's EU lawmakers and the party's press office did not respond to requests for comment. The European Socialists also did not respond to a request for comment.