MP Zdenka Kramplová had signed a commitment that if she leaves the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) she will give up her MP's mandate, the TASR newswire reported.
“Let's see whether she makes good on it,” ventured party chairman Vladimír Mečiar on November 4 in response to a journalist's question as to whether Kramplová remains in the HZDS parliamentary caucus. “As for the party membership, she has terminated it. She takes part in votes in the caucus, however,” Mečiar explained.
Mečiar also rejected notions that former party vice-chairman and head of the parliamentary European Affairs Committee Milan Urbáni, who also votes 'according to his conscience' in parliament, would follow in Kramplová's footsteps.
“Urbáni isn't on the programme,” Mečiar told TASR, adding that it isn't appropriate to discuss internal party issues via the media.
On November 5, Kramplová reacted by saying that she won't give up her mandate voluntarily, as she deems the commitment she had signed to be only a moral pledge. Moreover, at the time she signed the commitment, different statutes were in force in HZDS. Last week, Mečiar announced that HZDS is preparing certain personnel changes, but “only tiny ones”. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
