Slovak News Back to the news
President: Sulik Threw Down Heavy Gauntlet But I Won't Pick It Up
Wednesday 14 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 14 (TASR) - Parliamentary Chairman Richard Sulik by his criticism threw down a heavy gauntlet at my feet, said President Ivan Gasparovic the day after Sulik accused him of marring a referendum on public matters that was initiated by his Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party.
The president said that would have no trouble picking up the gauntlet but doesn't want to. Had he done so he would certainly not be defeated, but people would feel the consequences, he added. "I regret that the new parliamentary chairman has begun confrontation with the president in this manner. While appointing the Government I said that we need stability and peace, and I myself have asked the whole Cabinet and parliamentary chairman to seek ways to keep people happy," he said.
Gasparovic rejected Sulik's claims about the referendum. "Don't let him put the blame on somebody else. The outcry that I didn't do anything towards having the referendum carried out is stupid," he said.
He further stated that Premier Iveta Radicova can attest to the fact that the petition sheets submitted by SaS contained formal errors that were later corrected by Sulik.
Gasparovic reacted to statements that he didn't meet SaS representatives when they submitted their petition sheets in person. "The office did its utmost to have the sheets accepted as gracefully as possible. I didn't come to meet them because I was at Nove Zamky (Nitra region)," he said, adding that he views Sulik's accusations as naive and an attempt to deceive people. "I think that people well know who was wrong," he said.
The president doesn't expect an apology from Sulik. "Hundreds of people have done so on his behalf. I expect fairness from Mr. Sulik. I want to co-operate with you to the benefit of the people and not your political party," he said.
Gasparovic doesn't yet know whether he will take part in the plebiscite and has no reason to call on others to do so.
The six questions included in the referendum, which will be held on September 18, involve: abolishing television and radio licence fees, curbing MPs' immunity, downsizing the number of MPs from 150 to 100, setting the maximum purchasing price for cars used by Government officials, and helping to make voting in elections available via the internet. The sixth question concerns removing the right to reply from public officials (as included in the current Press Act of 2008).
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
