Slovakia's opposition accused Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday of laying the groundwork to take the country out of the European Union, but dropped its no-confidence motion to dismiss him and his leftist-nationalist government.

Slovakia’s pro-Russian prime minister has raised the prospect of his country leaving the European Union and Nato, arguing that world events could consign them to the “history books”.

“I told them … deal with it, or we are going to hell,” Fico told a political discussion show on Slovak network TA3 on Sunday. “If the Slovak National Party (SNS) and Hlas (Voice) don’t secure the functioning of the parliament … the only solution for this country will be snap parliamentary elections,” said Fico.

Slovak opposition leader Michal Simecka launched an attempt to dismiss the leftist-nationalist government in a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of laying the groundwork to take the country out of the EU.