EU Socialists rap Slovak party over far-right ties

BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The Socialist Group in the European Parliament has suspended moves to welcome in Slovakia's ruling SMER party because of its coalition with the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), a group spokesman said on Thursday. "There was clear support for suspension," the spokesman said after a meeting of leaders of the group, the second largest in the European Parliament after the conservative grouping.

The European Socialists had initially planned to offer SMER membership in December. The suspension means Slovak Prime Minister and SMER leader Robert Fico will not be able to attend meetings with his European counterparts usually organised by the Socialist Group before EU summits.

The European Union told Slovakia in September it was concerned by reports of ill-treatment of minorities there after a string of beatings and violence against the 500,000 ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia.

Hungary believes the presence of the SNS in Fico's government has inflamed ethnic hatred. Fico, whose leftist SMER party won power in June, has denounced the violence but stopped short of condemning the SNS or its leader, Jan Slota. ((Reporting by Carsten Lietz; writing by Mark John; editing by Alison Williams; Reuters Messaging: mark.john.reuters.com@reuters.net; Brussels newsroom +32-2 287 6841, fax +32-2 230 5573))

Keywords: EU SLOVAKIA