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Fico Slams Emerging Coalition for Its Treatment of New Opposition
Tuesday 29 June 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, June 29 (TASR) - The emerging governing coalition has been striving to criminalise soon-to-be opposition politicians who served their term in the Cabinet in the expiring term, departing Prime Minister Robert Fico said following a meeting of the chairs of parliamentary parties with Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska on Tuesday.
"By way of proof I would point to an interview that (SaS party chairman) Richard Sulik gave to (Czech daily) Mlada Fronta Dnes on June 19, 2010, in which he said that Fico's place is in jail," said the Smer-SD party chairman.
This is in part why the new opposition was interested in heading the parliamentary defence and security committee, so that it can check what the interior and defence ministers are doing, said Fico, adding that the emerging coalition rejected this request. According to the him, this was also the case with the health committee.
"As regards the parliamentary chairmanship, as Smer-SD won the election with a landslide, we came up with two options - either a three-to-two ratio, that is the chairman and two vice-chairs for the coalition and two vice-chairs for the opposition, or alternatively a four-to-one ratio with four vice-chairs for the coalition and the chairman for the opposition," said Fico.
"This was spurned, with no discussion. The arrogance that the gentlemen from the governing coalition have displayed has come as a surprise to us indeed," said Fico.
Other than that, the new coalition has let down its voters, said Fico, as most election pledges weren't included in the coalition's programme theses. Moreover, the coalition is promising to amend constitutional laws, which, however, isn't feasible without Smer's backing.
"If they want the opposition to co-operate, I'd expect them to behave in a normal fashion. This isn't the case, though," added Fico. He pledged to continue to be involved in politics, pushing forward social-democratic policies. He also vowed to oppose measures such as turning hospitals into joint-stock companies or amendments to the Labour Code, should the new coalition pursue such moves.
Smer vice-chairman and outgoing Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska backed Fico's statements, saying that the House "worked in absolute accordance with the law".
He added that Smer will insist on occupying the posts of heads of the Supreme Audit Office (NVK) and the Public Procurements Office (UVO). "But considering the arrogance that I've come across it's difficult to say what will happen, as pledges and words mean nothing to the people who are taking over power," he said, calling himself "sceptical" when it comes to whether or not the new opposition will be able to nominate people for the posts concerned.
Chairman of the leading coalition SDKU-DS party Mikulas Dzurinda said earlier in the day that the coalition will chair ten parliamentary committees, while the Opposition will be tasked with heading nine.
Coalition MPs will preside over the following committees: constitutional, budgetary, economic, agriculture, social, defence and security, foreign affairs, mandate and immunity, healthcare, and European affairs.
The opposition will oversee the following committees: education, media, public administration, human rights, and conflicts of interest, as well as committees supervising the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), Military Defence Intelligence and the National Security Office (NBU). [There are two committees supervising NBU. - ed. note].
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