17/10/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 17 October, the S&D decided to suspend its Slovak members attached to Robert Fico’s SMER party. In the meantime, two of the MEPs concerned, Monika Beňová and Katarína Neveďalová, have withdrawn their membership. In a joint statement published on Facebook, they deplore an unprecedented “ostracisation” by their colleagues and an “unacceptable” lack of communication on the decision by the Party of European Socialists (PES) and the S&D Group (see EUROPE 13270/36). Ms Beňová has also declared that she will be stepping down as quaestor of the European Parliament. As for the third member concerned, Robert Hajšel, “he will not return unless he makes a clear commitment to our progressive values”, said the S&D group on X. (HS)