Reader feedback: Right wing parties deserve a crack at ruling

Re: "Blow 'em up real good: How to pick a political melody.", By Tom Nicholson, Volume 8 No. 35, September 16 - 22.

Well, with all due respect, President Schuster is not smart and neither are the leaders of SDKÚ, KDH, Ano and SMK. In relative terms, they might be among the smartest that are willing to play a part in Slovakia's phoney and often ridiculous political theatre, true enough.

President Schuster now has a unique opportunity to prove his worth to Slovak politics by asking PM Dzurinda to form the next government, regardless of the actual outcome of the elections (provided it is in line with the latest preference figures). From the idealistic aspect, he has a moral obligation to do this (let's consider it reasonable to expect a president to work at least for once in his election term).

The leaders of SDKÚ, KDH, Ano and SMK should stick together and create a coalition. It would be a 'right-wing' coalition, although Tom Nicholson is absolutely right in claiming this doesn't matter at the moment. At least it would provide for understanding of basic issues. It would form a government that might stink at home, but smell nicely abroad - where the money is.

All that would be asked of such a government is to continue the job the current one started. Get Slovakia in Nato and the EU - not necessarily under the best conditions but GET IT IN. Finish reforms. Not necessarily to perfection but FINISH THEM. Get public finance under control, cut bureaucracy and corruption, tame the Roma problem, etc. No miracles or great surprises, just execute, execute, execute.

What Slovakia needs at the moment is to become fluent in the basic principles of democracy and the free market. It needs some more time to heal the wounds from the rule of communism and Mečiar. Implementation is the relevant term here. We'll talk about perfection in 2006.

There is of course a difference between knowing the path and walking it. This is the path. Now WALK IT!

Tomas Novotny

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