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Matovic: Sulik and Radicova Vowed to Include Our Priorities in Manifesto
Friday 23 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 23 (TASR) - Priorities from the programme of the 'Ordinary People' faction within Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party haven't been included in the draft Government manifesto, the faction's head Igor Matovic told TASR on Friday.
However, he added that SaS chairman Richard Sulik has promised to him that the items will indeed be included in the manifesto in the end.
"I was promised by Sulik on the first day after the election that our items will feature in the Government Manifesto. Not all of them, though, as no party has accomplished that," he said.
Matovic added that he met with Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS party) over the issue on Thursday. "She also promised to me that she'd do her best to make sure that the promise will be kept. We have until Monday (July 26) to peruse the Government manifesto draft and come up with proposals to include our items," he added.
However, he expressed his scepticism at whether this will actually happen. He also added that he's disappointed about the document, as he expected the manifesto to include more specifics and to be more clear-cut.
"It comes across to me as quite general information that's avoiding clear, specific objectives that are easy to check," said Matovic, whose faction managed to have four of its members elected to Parliament via preferential balloting.
One way or another, he said that 'Ordinary People' will back the manifesto when a vote on it is held.
On top of much-discussed issues such as trimming MPs' immunity from prosecution, the items that Matovic promotes includes a proposal to base the salaries of MPs on their attendance in Parliament. In addition, he suggests that if a particular MP gives a miss to more than 20 percent of votes (except for health reasons) his or her mandate should be withdrawn.
Moreover, 'Ordinary People' propose that the number of MPs be cut down to 79 (SaS wants 100) instead of the current 150. Meanwhile, politicians' sentences for corruption should be triple that of common people, as the conduct of politicians should serve as an example.
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