The new party constituted on the right-wing political spectrum as former members of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, who departed in April this year, joined the New Majority (NOVA) party of Daniel Lipšic. The new party will now be called New Majority – Agreement, the TASR newswire reported on May 26.
The SaS defectors, grouped around the unsuccessful candidate for the post of SaS leader, Jozef Kollár, had previously set up their own civil association called Liberal Agreement (LIDO), TASR wrote.
The aim of the new subject is to form a relevant and trustworthy alternative to the ruling Smer party.
“This merger gives Slovakia a certain hope for a second chance on building a decent country,” said Lipšic, as quoted by TASR, adding that the step is the first important one in connecting centre-right powers in Slovakia. The merged entity will now be represented by seven legislators – five former SaS leaders, and Lipšic and Jana Žitňanská, who left the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) last year.
Kollár said that the merger proves that the two bodies are “ready to respect diversity, otherness and uniqueness”, as reported by TAST.
Lipšic added that representatives of the two factions will be evenly represented in the management of the newly emerged party and also on the party’s slate for the general election in 2016 and the election to the European Parliament in 2014, TASR wrote.
Moreover, Lipšic pointed out that the economy and the competence to rule the country is set to be one of the pillars of the new grouping.
“Thanks to the merger, we have the most powerful economic team [in Slovakia],” he said, as quoted by TASR.
The groupings will officially confirm the merger at NOVA congress which will take place on June 15 in Košice, TASR reported.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
