THE COMMUNIST Party (KSS) has lost its deputy, Herman Arvay, who announced his departure from the KSS deputy caucus on December 1.
The Communists stripped him of his party membership.
The atmosphere within the Communist Party has been tense over the past weeks, the daily SME reported. Conflicts started when communist MP Ivan Hopta announcing that he plans to challenge KSS leader Jozef Sevce for the top post.
Arvay claims that the KSS has failed to take the path of a modern leftist party and has relapsed to the times before 1989. He objects to the party's attitudes towards Stalinism and Marxism-Leninism.
The opposition leaders discussed the unexpected departure of Arvay on December 1. Smer boss Robert Fico is certain that Arvay was bought by the ruling coalition.
According to the SITA news wire, Arvay might join a party closer to liberalism and social democracy, namely Smer or the ruling coalition's New Citizen's Alliance (ANO).
In the 150-seat parliament, the number of Communist PMs has dropped to 10. The ruling coalition directly controls 67 seats and the opposition has 59.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
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