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Orban 'allies' may still obstruct EU loan to Kiev — newspaper

Politico mentioned Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

BRUSSELS, April 15. /TASS/. Viktor Orban’s exit from the political arena of the European Union does not mean that it will become easier for Brussels to adopt key decisions, particularly regarding aid to Kiev, as his "allies" remain in the European Council and could block plans to provide Ukraine with a loan, Politico reported.

According to the newspaper, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDP) Janez Jansa, and Bulgaria’s former President Rumen Radev are the most likely candidates to "take up Orban’s mantle" as the bloc’s next main adversary.

Fico previously joined Orban in blocking a €90 billion so-called military loan for Ukraine and the adoption of the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia. "I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of the Slovak Republic," Politico quoted him as saying.

Billionaire Babis, dubbed the "Czech Trump," has already shown alignment with Orban’s policies. Babis said he would seek allies in Europe to counter Brussels bureaucracy and called for looser EU oversight. "The European Commission interferes in everything, its regulation is simply insane," he emphasized.

A European Union diplomat told Politico that the Italian leader Meloni "came from the same political family" as Orban and should not be overlooked. "At the last European Council, the only person to have agreed with Orban was Meloni," the diplomat recalled. He added that she acknowledged understanding the Hungarian leader’s position on the loan to Ukraine at the March summit.

Former Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, described as a "mini-Trump," has suggested his party could soon form a parliamentary majority. Meanwhile in Bulgaria, the Progressive Bulgaria coalition headed by former President Rumen Radev (2017-2026) is in the lead ahead of early parliamentary elections on April 19. In 2025, Radev said Ukraine was "doomed" in the conflict with Russia and that increasing EU military aid was not a solution, Politico recalled.

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