Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRATISLAVA879
2006-10-27 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:
SLOVAKIA'S PM FICO MYSTERIOUSLY ILL
how-toVZCZCXRO2550 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSL #0879 3001518 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271518Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0426 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000879
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA'S PM FICO MYSTERIOUSLY ILL
CLASSIFIED BY: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000879
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA'S PM FICO MYSTERIOUSLY ILL
CLASSIFIED BY: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Slovakia's 42-yr-old Prime Minister Robert
Fico is ailing physically, but it's unclear how
serious his illness is. Fico has skipped the weekly
Wednesday night hockey game with the Ambassador and
others for several weeks. On Thursday October 26,
Fico told the Ambassador that he was receiving daily
treatment for three hours in the mornings, but did
not reveal the cause of his illness. He looked tired
and was unshaven, telling the Ambassador that he was
growing a beard. Later that day, Fico cancelled all
public events through Saturday. His spokesperson
announced that he suffered from backbone pains and
exhaustion but that he was not seeing a doctor and
should be back to his normal routine next week.
Privately, an MFA contact noted that Fico has problems
with high blood pressure. Fico has refused to respond
to media inquiries about his health, stating "My health
is my private business." (COMMENT: PM Fico, even more
than his predecessor, has concentrated decision-making
authority in his own office. Those responsibilities,
together with riding herd over coalition partners Slota
and Meciar, would exhaust even the healthiest person.
END COMMENT.)
2. (C) Fico has found the time for some public
political comments, however. On October 27, he accused
the Party of the Hungarian Coalition (SMK) of using
"dirty tricks" from morning till night, referencing
an on-going scandal in the Ministry of Agriculture
and the possible attack on an ethnic Hungarian
university student in August.
VALLEE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA'S PM FICO MYSTERIOUSLY ILL
CLASSIFIED BY: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Slovakia's 42-yr-old Prime Minister Robert
Fico is ailing physically, but it's unclear how
serious his illness is. Fico has skipped the weekly
Wednesday night hockey game with the Ambassador and
others for several weeks. On Thursday October 26,
Fico told the Ambassador that he was receiving daily
treatment for three hours in the mornings, but did
not reveal the cause of his illness. He looked tired
and was unshaven, telling the Ambassador that he was
growing a beard. Later that day, Fico cancelled all
public events through Saturday. His spokesperson
announced that he suffered from backbone pains and
exhaustion but that he was not seeing a doctor and
should be back to his normal routine next week.
Privately, an MFA contact noted that Fico has problems
with high blood pressure. Fico has refused to respond
to media inquiries about his health, stating "My health
is my private business." (COMMENT: PM Fico, even more
than his predecessor, has concentrated decision-making
authority in his own office. Those responsibilities,
together with riding herd over coalition partners Slota
and Meciar, would exhaust even the healthiest person.
END COMMENT.)
2. (C) Fico has found the time for some public
political comments, however. On October 27, he accused
the Party of the Hungarian Coalition (SMK) of using
"dirty tricks" from morning till night, referencing
an on-going scandal in the Ministry of Agriculture
and the possible attack on an ethnic Hungarian
university student in August.
VALLEE