Slovakia’s former prime minister faces criminal charges

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Police in Slovakia say former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his ex-interior minister face criminal charges. A lawyer for the two men says they were charged with creating a criminal group. Police didn’t provide any details on Wednesday. Prime Minister Eduard Heger said he hoped the decision to charge Fico and former interior minister Robert Kalinak was supported by evidence. Fico is currently a lawmaker for his leftist opposition Smer-Social Democracy party. He denies any wrongdoing and called the case “clear political revenge” and designed “to liquidate the political opposition.” Fico, who is considered a populist, served as the prime minister during 2006-2010 and again from 2012 to 2018.