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Dzurinda Won't Run in General Election, But Remains SDKU Head
Monday 01 February 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - Opposition SDKU-DS party chairman Mikulas Dzurinda announced on Monday that he won't be on the party slate in the upcoming general election. He didn't specify who will head the party's candidate list in the plebiscite, as this will be decided on by the party's primary election due later in February.
"I'm going for this move largely because I want the election campaign to focus on people, party programmes and (Prime Minister) Robert Fico's and his Government's assuming their responsibilities," said former two-time premier Dzurinda.
Dzurinda added that his decision was also aimed at uniting the Opposition and enhancing ground for their cooperation. "It's perfectly clear that if we want Slovakia to tread a different path following the election, if we want the country to resume a path of decency, fight against corruption and seek ways to make (Slovakia) grow economically, we need to create an alternative to the current Government," added Dzurinda.
"The decisive stimulus for me was that I realised how monstrous a game (Prime Minister) Robert Fico is attempting to play," said the former two-time premier Dzurinda.
In addition, Dzurinda challenged Fico to join him in a televised debate. "I'll be happy to have a chat with him," he said, adding that "Robert Fico's camouflage" must not be a topic of the election campaign. "Let him (Fico) choose a day and an hour, and he can even choose a TV station," he added.
Dzurinda, who retains his post of SDKU leader, also stressed that he will devote his time patiently to the party's campaign as well as to answering questions asked by journalists. "I don't mean Fico's questions, I mean your questions," said Dzurinda addressing the media.
Despite his decision not to feature on SDKU's slate, he said he's not planning on leaving politics. "I'm in my best years. Never have I looked forward to a campaign as much as now," he said, adding that only after the election will he start pondering what he'll be doing following the plebiscite set for June 12.
A decision on the party's no. 1 on the candidate list will be made by all party members who will take part in SDKU's primary election due on February 27, he added.
In response to allegations made by the premier earlier in the day concerning links between SDKU and privatisation of Hotel Forum in Bratislava in 2003, Dzurinda noted that "it's a lie, not worthy of a prime minister."
He added he hadn't watched Fico's press conference, which had been held shortly before he announced his decision not to run in the general election. "He (Fico) brings disgrace on Slovakia wherever he goes," said Dzurinda.
SDKU vice-chairman Ivan Miklos gave assurances that Dzurinda continues to enjoy confidence of all top representatives of SDKU.
Party vice-chair Iveta Radicova added that "I view Mr Dzurinda's decision as a clear way of creating scope for himself and his colleagues in the party in order to enable us to present our programme, visions of progress and directions of this country following the election to citizens."
At a press conference held earlier on Monday, Fico said that there's no way that the former leading coalition and now leading opposition SDKU party can claim that there's no link between a company called Destor Investments owned by party treasurer Igor Kucej and Diamond Hotels UK, a firm that acquired the formerly government-owned Hotel Forum in Bratislava less than six months after its privatisation.
"We're asking SDKU-DS how it aims to explain, while we're submitting clear-cut evidence, that these two companies weren't only headquartered at the same address in London, but also had the same trustee, founder and, most importantly, the same director," said Fico.
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