The Hungarian Coalition (SMK) party of Slovakia's ruling coalition has decided to stay in government.
A party spokesman said the recent passing of key laws related to public administration reform had convinced the SMK not to leave.
The party had threatened to withdraw from the ruling five-party coalition in August, citing a litany of promises its coalition partners had failed to keep. Among them was the promise of a region in southern Slovakia drawn so as to not split the country's Hungarian minority.
On the same day, the Democratic Left Party (SDĽ) said it expected the opposition party Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) to be its main coalition partner in regional parliaments following regional parliamentary elections in December. The elections will be the country's first to elect representatives to the regional level, and will help to devolve state power closer to voters, a demand made by the European Union.
The HZDS is led by Vladimír Mečiar, the controversial three-time Prime Minister.
22. Oct 2001 at 0:00 | From press reports of TASR and SITA
